Odd C-P contributions to diffractive processes

Abstract

We investigate contributions to diffractive scattering, which are odd under C- and P-parity. Comparison of p-$\bar p$ and p-p scattering indicates that these odderon contributions are very small and we show how a diquark clustering in the proton can explain this effect. A good probe for the odderon exchange is the photo- and electroproduction of pseudo-scalar mesons. We concentrate on the pi^0 and show that the quasi elastic pi^0-production is again strongly suppressed for a diquark structure of the proton whereas the cross sections for diffractive proton dissociation are larger by orders of magnitude and rather independent of the proton structure.

18 pages, LaTex2e, graphicx package, 14 eps figures included