The TOTEM collaboration has measured the proton-proton total cross section at $\sqrt{s}=8\mathrm{TeV}$ using a luminosity-independent method. In LHC fills with dedicated beam optics, the Roman pots have been inserted very close to the beam allowing the detection of $\sim 90\%$ of the nuclear elastic scattering events. Simultaneously the inelastic scattering rate has been measured by the T1 and T2 telescopes. By applying the optical theorem, the total proton-proton cross section of $(101.7\pm 2.9)\mathrm{mb}$ has been determined, well in agreement with the extrapolation from lower energies. This method also allows one to derive the luminosity-independent elastic and inelastic cross sections: ${\sigma }_{\mathrm{el}}=(27.1\pm 1.4)\mathrm{mb}$; ${\sigma }_{\mathrm{inel}}=(74.7\pm 1.7)\mathrm{mb}$.

• Received 30 December 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.012001

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© 2013 CERN, for the TOTEM Collaboration