$\sigma_L/\sigma_T$ in the $\rho^0$ - meson diffractive electroproproduction

Abstract

The background due to the direct diffractive dissociation of the photon into the $\pi^+\pi^-$-pair to the "elastic" diffractive $\rho^0$-meson production in electron-proton collisions is calculated. At large $Q^2$ the interference between resonant and non-resonant $\pi^+ \pi^-$ production changes the $\sigma^L/\sigma^T$ ratio with the mass of the $2\pi$ (i.e. $\rho^0$-meson) state.