Limits on the diffractive mass in strong coherent $γ^*$-nucleus scattering
arXiv:2512.07630
Abstract
An evolution equation for diffractive production with a definite rapidity gap is given. Coherent $γ^*A$ collisions in the unitarity (saturation) region are studied with the conclusion that the diffractive mass is always on the order of the $γ^*$ virtuality, , when the scattering is strong. Deep in the saturation region diffractive masses significantly greater than are strongly suppressed by a Levin-Tuchin mechanism.