A high-statistics measurement of the nucleon structure function F2(x,Q2) from deep inelastic muon-carbon scattering at high Q2

We present results from a high statistics study of the nucleon structure function F2(x,Q2) in the kinematic range x ≥ 0.25 and Q2 ≥ 25 GeV2. The analysis is based on 1.3.106 reconstructed events recorded at beam energies of 120, 200 and 280 GeV. By comparing data taken at different beam energies, we find R = σL/σT = (8±14(stat.)+38-35(syst.)).10-3 independent of x in the range 0.25 ≤ x ≤ 0.7 and 50 GeV2 ≤ Q2 ≤ 150 GeV2. The kinematic range of these data makes them well suited for quantitative tests of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). From a next-to-leading order nonsinglet fit, we find a QCD mass scale parameter ΛMS = 220 ±20(stat.)+90-70(syst.)MeV. 5 figs.; 10 refs