Single diffractive hard exclusive processes for the study of generalized parton distributions

TL;DR

This paper introduces single diffractive hard exclusive processes (SDHEPs) as a new class of reactions for probing generalized parton distributions (GPDs), providing a unified framework to study hadronic internal structures.

Contribution

It defines SDHEPs, establishes their factorization conditions, and demonstrates their potential to explore GPDs comprehensively, including sensitivity to parton momentum fractions.

Findings

SDHEPs can be factorized into GPDs under specific conditions

SDHEPs encompass all known GPD extraction processes

Sensitivity of SDHEPs to parton momentum fractions

Abstract

Generalized parton distributions (GPDs) are important nonperturbative functions that provide tomographic images of partonic structures of hadrons. We introduce a type of exclusive processes, to be referred to as single diffractive hard exclusive processes (SDHEPs). We discuss the necessary and sufficient conditions for SDHEPs to be factorized into GPDs. We demonstrate that the SDHEP is not only sufficiently generic to cover all known processes for extracting GPDs, but is also well motivated for the search of new processes for the study of GPDs. We examine the sensitivity of the SDHEP to the parton momentum fraction $x$ dependence of GPDs.