Radiative effects in processes of diffractive vector meson electroproduction

The electromagnetic radiative correction to the cross section of the vector meson electroproduction is calculated. Explicit covariant formulae for the observed cross section are obtained. The dependence of the radiative correction on the experimental resolution and on the inelasticity cut is discussed. The FORTRAN code DIFFRAD, based on both exact (ultrarelativistic) and approximate sets of the formulae for the radiative correction to the cross section, is presented. Detailed numerical analysis for kinematical conditions of the recent experiments on the diffractive electroproduction of vector mesons is given. Received: 23 August 1998 / Published online: 15 April 1999