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Light-front dynamics of elastic electron-deuteron scattering

Conference ·
OSTI ID:7057286

Measurements of the deuteron form factors over a wide range of momentum transfer can provide important clues to the role of subnucleon degrees of freedom in nuclear dynamics. For a meaningful calculation of the form factors it is essential that the current density operators and the deuteron wave function transform under Lorentz transformations in a mutually consistent manner. Standard nucleon-nucleon interactions can be used to construct unitary representations of the Poincare group on the two-nucleon Hilbert space. Deuteron wave functions represent eigenstates of the four-momentum operator. Existing parameterizations of measured single-nucleon form factors are used to construct a conserved covariant electromagnetic current operator. The light-front symmetry of the representation allows a clean separation of the effects of one- and two-body currents for arbitrary momentum transfers. Comparison with data indicates that for Q/sup 2/ < GeV/sup 2/ the elastic cross sections are not dominated by two-body currents.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-31109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
7057286
Report Number(s):
CONF-8805140-3; ON: DE88012056
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English