Forward $\pi^0$ trigger of the deep inelastic + jet probe of BFKL dynamics

We predict the rate of deep inelastic scattering (DIS) events containing an identified forward $\pi^0$ that is expected in the experiments at the HERA electron-proton collider, in order to see if this process can be used as an indicator of the underlying small $x$ dynamics. We determine the background due to deep inelastic events containing forward photons which are fragments of the forward jet. We compare the DIS + $\pi^0$ cross section with that of the DIS + parent jet process