Quantum field theoretic treatment of the non-forward compton amplitude in the generalized bjorken region

Abstract

A quantum field theoretic treatment of the leading light-cone part of the virtual Compton amplitude is presented. The twist-decomposition of the operators is performed by a group-theoretic procedure respecting the Lorentz group O(3,1). The twist-2 contributions to the Compton amplitude are calculated and it is shown that the electromagnetic current is conserved for these terms. Relations between the amplitude functions associated to the symmetric and asymmetric part of the Compton amplitude are derived. These relations generalize the Calln-Gross and Wandzura-Wilczek relations of forward scattering for the non-forward Compton amplitude.