Double-logarithmic Scaling of the Structure Function F₂ at small x

Recent data on the structure function F_2(x,Q^2) at small values of x are analysed and compared with theoretical expectations. It is shown that the observed rise at small x is consistent with a logarithmic increase, growing logarithmically also with Q^2. A stronger increase, which may be incompatible with unitarity when extrapolated to asymptotically small values of x, cannot be inferred from present data.