QCD Instanton-induced Processes in Deep-Inelastic Scattering: Search Strategies and Model Dependencies

We investigate possible search strategies for QCD-instanton induced processes at HERA in the deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) regime. Our study is based on the Monte Carlo generator QCDINS for instanton-induced events and the standard generators for normal DIS events. It appears possible to isolate an instanton enriched data sample via an optimized multi-dimensional cut scenario for a set of six most instanton-sensitive DIS observables. As a further central point, we investigate the stability of our results with respect to a variation of the (hadronization) models available for the simulation of both normal DIS and instanton-induced events. Dependencies on the variation of certain inherent parameters are also studied. Within the ``bandwidth'' of variations considered, we find that the normal DIS background is typically much more sensitive to model variations than the I-induced signal