Diffractive light vector meson production at large momentum transfers

The diffractive process gamma(double dagger)(Q(2))p-->V+X (where V=rho(0),omega,phi are the vector mesons, consisting of light quarks, and X represents the hadrons to which a proton dissociates! is studied. We consider the region of large momentum transfers \ t \much greater than Lambda(QCD)(2), and large energies s. In the leading logarithm approximation of perturbative QCD (using the BFKL equation) the asymptotic behavior of the cross section in the limit s-->infinity,s much greater than \ t \,Q(2) is obtained. We compare the results derived from the BFKL equation with that obtained in the lowest order of QCD (two-gluon exchange in the t channel). The possibility to investigate these reactions at DESY HERA is discussed.