Possibility of the odderon discovery via observation of charge asymmetry in the diffractive π⁺π⁻ production at HERA

Abstract

The interference between the Pomeron and possible odderon mechanisms of diffractive π⁺π⁻ photoproduction results in charge asymmetry of the produced pions. The observation of charge asymmetry of pions at moderate M_π⁺_π⁻ will be an undoubted signal of odderon existence. To make numeral estimates more definite, we limit ourselves by the region M_π⁺_π⁻ = 1.1 ÷ 1.5 GeV, where in the odderon mechanism of dipion production, the production via single f₂(1270) resonance is expected to be dominant. We find a very statistically significant effect of the odderon induced charge asymmetry even with very modest estimates for the f₂ photoproduction cross section (without referring to any particular model of the odderon).