Low-energy diffraction; a direct-channel point of view: the background

We argue that at low-energies, typical of the resonance region, the contribution from direct-channel exotic trajectories replaces the Pomeron exchange, typical of high energies. A dual model realizing this idea is suggested. While at high energies it matches the Regge pole behavior, dominated by a Pomeron exchange, at low energies it produces a smooth, structureless behavior of the total cross section determined by a direct-channel nonlinear exotic trajectory, dual to the Pomeron exchange.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure. Talk presented at the Second International "Cetraro" Workshop & NATO Advanced Research Workshop "Diffraction 2002", Alushta, Crimea, Ukraine, August 31 - September 6, 200