  We study deeply virtual Compton scattering and deep exclusive meson
electroproduction on a deuteron target. We model the Generalized Quark
Distributions in the deuteron by using the impulse approximation for the lowest
Fock-space state on the light-cone. We study the properties of the resulting
GPDs, and verify that sum rules violations are quite small in the impulse
approximation. Numerical predictions are given for the unpolarized cross
sections and polarization asymmetries for the kinematical regimes relevant for
JLab experiments and for HERMES at HERA. We conclude that the signal of
coherent scattering on the deuteron is comparable to the one on the proton at
least for low momentum transfer, providing support to the feasibility of the
experiments. The short distance structure of the deuteron may thus be
scrutinized in the near future.

High Energy Physics - Phenomenology;Nuclear Theory