Consistent model for \pi N transition distribution amplitudes and backward pion electroproduction

peer reviewedThe extension of the concept of generalized parton distributions leads to the introduction of baryon to meson transition distribution amplitudes (TDAs), nondiagonal matrix elements of the nonlocal three quark operator between a nucleon and a meson state. We present a general framework for modeling nucleon to pion (\pi N) TDAs. Our main tool is the spectral representation for \pi N TDAs in terms of quadruple distributions. We propose a factorized Ansatz for quadruple distributions with input from the soft-pion theorem for \pi N TDAs. The spectral representation is complemented with a D-term like contribution from the nucleon exchange in the cross channel. We then study backward pion electroproduction in the QCD collinear factorization approach in which the nonperturbative part of the amplitude involves N TDAs. Within our two component model for N TDAs, we update previous leading-twist estimates of the unpolarized cross section. Finally, we compute the transverse target single spin asymmetry as a function of skewness. We find it to be sizable in the valence region and sensitive to the phenomenological input of our \pi N TDA model