DIFFRACTIVE LEPTOPRODUCTION OF VECTOR-MESONS IN QCD

We demonstrate that the distinctive features of the forward differenti al cross section of diffractive leptoproduction of a vector meson can be legitimately calculated in perturbative QCD in terms of the lightco ne qq $($) over bar$$ wave function of the vector meson and the gluon distribution of the target. In particular, we calculate the Q(2) and n uclear dependence of the diffractive leptoproduction of vector mesons and estimate the cross section. The production of longitudinally polar ized vector mesons by longitudinally polarized virtual photons is pred icted to be the dominant component, yielding a cross section behaving as Q(-6) The nuclear dependence of the diffractive cross sections, whi ch follows from a factorization theorem in perturbative QCD, provides important tests of color transparency as well as constraints on the sh adowing of the gluon structure functions and the longitudinal structur e functions of nuclei.