Tests of QCD and non-asymptotically-free theories of the strong interaction by an analysis of the nucleon structure functions xF/sub 3 /, F/sub 2/, and q

The scaling violations of the structure functions F/sub 2/, xF/sub 3/, and q, as measured in deep-inelastic neutrino-nucleon scattering at high hadron class W, have been compared with the predictions of QCD and other candidate field theories of strong interactions. Non- asymptotically free theories with scalar and vector gluons are incompatible with the data. This leaves QCD as the only field theory that gives a consistent description of all the observed scaling violations. The data do not, however, permit a sensitive test of the existence of the gluon self-coupling