LOCAL NUCLEAR SLOPE AND CURVATURE IN HIGH-ENERGY PP AND (P)OVER-BAR-PELASTIC-SCATTERING

The local nuclear slope B(s,t) = (d/dt)(ln(d sigma(n)(s, t)/dt)) is re constructed from the experimental angular distributions with a procedu re that uses overlapping t-bins, for an energy that ranges from the IS R to the <S(p)over bar pS> and the Tevatron. Predictions of several mo dels of (p, p) and ((p) over bar, p) elastic scattering at high energy are tested in B(s, t) at small \t\. Only a model with two-components pomeron and odderon gives a satisfactory agreement with the (non-fitte d) slope data, in particular for the evolution of B(s, t) with s as a function of t in <(p)over bar p> scattering. This model predicts a sim ilar behavior for pp and <(p)over bar p> scattering at small \t\. A de tailed confirmation for pp collisions would be expected from RHIC. The extreme sensitivity of the local nuclear curvature C(s, t)=(1/2)(d/dt )(B(s, t)) with the choice for a pomeron model is emphasized. The pres ent model predicts a change of sign for C(s, t = 0) when root s greate r than or equal to 4 TeV. The ideal place to search for an eventual co nfirmation of this prediction would be LHC.