HIGH-P (PERPENDICULAR-TO) JETS IN DIFFRACTIVE ELECTROPRODUCTION

The diffractive production of high-p(perpendicular to) jets in deep-in elastic scattering is studied in the semiclassical approach. The p(per pendicular to)-spectra of q (q) over bar and q (q) over bar g diffract ive final states are found to be qualitatively different. For q (q) ov er bar final states, which are produced by 'hard' colour-singlet excha nge, the p(perpendicular to)-spectrum is much softer than for q (q) ov er bar g final states, where the colour neutralization is 'soft'. Furt hermore, the two different final states can be clearly distinguished b y their diffractive mass distributions. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.