Deep exclusive electroproduction of $\pi^+$ at HERMES

Abstract

Deeply virtual electroproduction of pion in exclusive reaction $p(e,e'\pi^+)n$ is studied using a two-component model which includes soft hadronic and hard partonic reaction mechanisms. The results are compared with the experimental data measured at HERMES in the deep inelastic region for values of $Q^2>1$ GeV$^2$ and $W^2 > 10$ GeV$^2$. At forward angles the $\pi^+$ cross section is longitudinal and is dominated by exchange of Regge poles, with $\pi$ the dominant trajectory. The off-forward region with $-t>1$ GeV$^2$ is transverse and shows the dominance of partonic subprocesses. An implication of present results for the future JLAB facilities are briefly discussed.