Total cross section and rapidity gap survival probability at the LHC through an eikonal with soft gluon resummation

New results are presented for total pp/(p) over barp cross sections, in the framework of our QCD based model (GGPS). This is an improved eikonal mini-jet model, where soft gluon radiation tames the fast energy rise normally present in mini-jet models. We discuss the variability in our predictions and provide a handy parametrization of our results for the LHC. We find that our model predictions span the range sigma(LHC)(tot) =100(-13)(+10) mb. While this matches nicely with the range of most other models, it does not agree with recent ones which include a "hard" pomeron, even though our model does include hard scattering. We compute the survival probability for large rapidity gap (LRG) events at the LHC and at the Tevatron. These events are relevant, for example, for Higgs signal in the W W fusion process. We also explore whether measurements of the total cross sections at the LHC can help us sharpen the model parameters and hence estimates for these survival probabilities, further. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.