The TOTEM experiment

TOTEM will measure the total pp cross-section at LHC by using a luminosity independent method based on simultaneous evaluation of the total elastic and inelastic rates. For an extended coverage of the inelastic and diffractive events, two forward tracking telescope are employed. The elastically or diffractively scattered protons are measured by a set of special detectors, which can be moved close to the circulating protons beams. The paper describes the physics reach of the experiment and the detectors which are being considered. PACS: 25.70.Ef – 21.60.Gx – 27.30.+