A description of exclusive charged-pion electroproduction $(e,e^{\prime }{\pi }^{\pm })$ off nucleons at high energies is proposed. The model combines a Regge pole approach with the residual effect of nucleon resonances. The exchanges of $\pi (140)$, vector $\rho (770)$, and axial-vector $a_1(1260)$ and $b_1(1235)$ Regge trajectories are considered. The contribution of nucleon resonances is described using a dual connection between the exclusive hadronic form factors and inclusive deep inelastic structure functions. The model describes the measured longitudinal, transverse, and interference cross sections at the Thomas Jefferson Lab National Accelerator Facility (JLAB) and the Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron. The scaling behavior of the cross sections is in agreement with JLAB and deeply virtual HERMES data. The results for a polarized beam-spin azimuthal asymmetry in $(\mathrm{e⃗},e^{\prime }{\pi }^{\pm })$ are presented. Model predictions for JLAB at $12$ GeV are given.

• Received 31 January 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.81.045202