A compilation of structure functions in deep inelastic scattering

A compilation of all the available data on the unpolarized structure functions F2 and xF3, R=(σL/σT), the virtual photon asymmetries A1 and A2 and the polarized structure functions g1 and g2, from deep inelastic lepton scattering off protons, deuterium and nuclei is presented. The relevant experiments at CERN, DESY, Fermilab and SLAC from 1991, the date of our earlier review [1], to the present day are covered. A brief general theoretical introduction is given followed by the data presented both in tabular and graphical form and, for the F2 and xF3 data, the predictions based on the MRST98 and CTEQ4 parton distribution functions are also displayed. All the data in this review, together with data on a wide variety of other reactions, can be found in and retrieved from the Durham-RAL HEP Databases on the World-Wide-Web (http://durpdg.dur.ac.uk/HEPDATA). (author)