Photon-exchange processes at hadron colliders as a probe of the dynamics of diffraction

The rich structure of photon-exchange processes at hadron colliders is studied. We discuss central vector meson production (pp --> p+J/psi+p), W production (pp --> p+W+X) and mu(+)mu(-) production. Each process has distinct, and large, soft pp rescattering effects, which can be directly observed by detecting the outgoing protons. This allows a probe of the optical density of the proton, which plays a crucial role in the evaluation of the rapidity gap survival probabilities in diffractive-like processes at hadron colliders. We note that an alternative mechanism for J/psi production is odderon, instead of photon, exchange; and that the ratio of odderon to photon contributions is enhanced (suppressed) for phi(Y) vector meson production.