Measurement of the neutral current cross section and $\mathbf{F_2}$ structure function for deep inelastic $\mathbf{e^+p}$ scattering at HERA

Abstract.

The cross section and the proton structure function $F_2$ for neutral current deep inelastic $e^+p$ scattering have been measured with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of 30 pb$^{-1}$. The data were collected in 1996 and 1997 at a centre-of-mass energy of 300 GeV. They cover the kinematic range $2.7 < Q^2 < 30000$ GeV$^2$ and $6\cdot 10^{-5} < x < 0.65$. The variation of $F_2$ with x and $Q^2$ is well described by next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD as implemented in the DGLAP evolution equations.