Spin correlation coefficients in lepton–deuteron elastic scattering and their sensitivity to realistic NN potentials

Abstract

Spin correlation coefficients in the elastic scattering of leptons on the deuteron, [Formula: see text], are studied in the one-photon-exchange approximation within the limit of zero lepton mass. Numerical estimations for the spin correlation coefficients caused by a polarized beam and a vector polarized target are given. The estimated spin correlation coefficients are analyzed at various values of beam energy and scattering angle. The sensitivity of the obtained results to the choice of realistic NN potential used for the deuteron wave function is investigated. We found a considerable dependence of the results on the realistic deuteron wave functions at incident beam energies greater than 0.4 GeV and backward scattering angles. The estimated results are of particular interest for encouragement of experimental measurements of lepton–deuteron scattering which aim for accurate calculation of the charge radius of the proton to a high degree of precision. These results may also stimulate new generation of measurements of different physical observables very sensitive to the spin structure of the nucleon and light nuclei.