Polarization properties of diffractively produced \Lambda_c

The Pomeron-gluon-gluon interaction is considered in the QCD-based model for the charmed baryon production in the process Pomeron + p --> \Lambda_c^+ + X. The polarization of the produced heavy quark is induced effectively through the non-perturbative long-range interaction with the gluon field of the type [sigma*rotA]. The x_F-dependence of \Lambda_c^+ polarization, P_(x_F,p_T), has been studied. Its absolute value depends on the model parameter a and it appears to be sizeable in the wide range of a values: when a ranges from 0.1 to 1.0, the polarization P(x_F,p_T) varies from --0.2 to --0.5 at x_F ~ 0.5 and p_T in the interval 1 - 2 GeV/c.