An interpretation of the ridge phenomenon found in $\mathit{pp}$ collisions at 7 TeV is given in terms of enhancement of soft partons due to energy loss of semihard jets. A description of ridge formation in nuclear collisions can directly be extended to $\mathit{pp}$ collisions since hydrodynamics is not used and azimuthal anisotropy is generated by semihard scattering. The observed ridge structure is then understood as a manifestation of soft-soft transverse correlation induced by semihard partons without long-range longitudinal correlation. Both the $p_T$ and multiplicity dependencies are well reproduced. Some predictions are made about other observables.

• Received 8 November 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.83.024911