Some tests for the helicity structure of the pomeron in $ep$ collisions

Abstract

We discuss the reaction $e p \to e \tilde{p} X$ in the one-photon exchange approximation, where it is in essence the reaction $\gamma^{*} p \to \tilde{p} X$. A large rapidity gap is required between the particle or particles of the proton remnant $\tilde{p}$ and those of $X$. We define a suitable azimuthal angle $\varphi$ between a leptonic and a hadronic plane. The dependence of the cross section on $\varphi$ is given explicitly and can be used to extract cross sections and interference terms for the reaction $\gamma^{*} p \to \tilde{p} X$ corresponding to the various helicities of the virtual photon $\gamma^{*}$. The interference terms can be used to test models for the large rapidity gap events in a sensitive way. We discuss in detail models with factorizing Pomeron exchange and in particular the Donnachie-Landshoff Pomeron model. We make some remarks on soft colour exchange models and on possible effects of QCD background vacuum fields. We conclude with a suggestion to look for Odderon exchange in exclusive deep inelastic high energy reactions like $\gamma^{*} p \to \tilde{p} \pi^{0}$ and $\gamma^{*} p \to \tilde{p} \eta$.