A geometric model for proton-proton, proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions at high energy

A geometric model for hadron-proton collisions is extended to high-energy proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus scattering. The experimental values of the total cross section σtot, the integrated elastic cross section σel, and the slope parameter b(0) for proton scattering on d, α, 7Li, 9Be, 12C and 27Al are reproduced with an accuracy of 10-12%, taking into account the density of the protons in the nucleus and only one universal constant Re g, which is determined from proton-proton collisions. We also obtain a description of the same quantities for nucleus-nucleus scattering with the light nuclei d, α and 12C. We successfully reproduce the elastic differential cross sections at energies √SNN>6 GeV. A motivation for the phenomenological expression for the parton-parton interaction function is obtained within the Regge model for colliding protons. (orig.)