The Tensor Pomeron and Low-x Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering

Abstract: The two-tensor-pomeron model is applied to deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) on a proton. A good description of the DVCS HERA data at small Bjorken-$x$ is achieved due to a sizeable interference of soft and hard pomeron contributions. We present two fits which differ somewhat in the strength of the hard pomeron contribution. We describe, in the same framework, both the low $Q^{2}$ and high $Q^{2}$ regimes and the transition between them. We find that the soft-pomeron contribution is considerable up to $Q^{2} \sim 20$ GeV$^{2}$. The reggeon exchange term is particularly relevant for describing the scattering of a real photon on a proton measured at lower $\gamma p$ energies at FNAL. We find that the ratio of $\gamma^{*} p \to \gamma p$ cross-sections for longitudinally and transversely polarized virtual photons strongly increases with $t$. Our findings may be checked in future lepton-nucleon scattering experiments in the low-$x$ regime, for instance, at a future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) at the BNL and LHeC at the LHC.