Regge theory and QCD in large-angle scattering

Abstract

We argue that exclusive processes whose cross-sections are determined by Regge pole trajectory exchanges, α(t), at small momentum transfers (t), are controlled by these same exchanges at very large |t| too. The analysis is based on a Reggeized version of the constituent interchange model (CIM), which predicts that α(t)→−1 ast→−∞, and that the asymptotic form of the Regge residues is fixed by the dimensional counting rules and CIM constraints. Between the two regimes of soft and hard scattering there is an intermediate region where Regge cuts are important, but these higher-twist effects die away as |t| is increased. We show that this hypothesis is consistent with high energy nucleon-nucleon and pion-nucleon scattering at all angles.