Measurement of the Vector and Tensor Asymmetries at Large Missing Momentum in Quasielastic $(\vec{e},e^{\prime }p)$ Electron Scattering from Deuterium

Abstract

We report the measurement of the beam-vector and tensor asymmetries $A_{ed}^V$ and $A_d^T$ in quasielastic $(\vec{e},e^{\prime }p)$ electrodisintegration of the deuteron at the MIT-Bates Linear Accelerator Center up to missing momentum of 500~MeV/c. Data were collected simultaneously over a momentum transfer range $0.1<Q^2<0.5$~(GeV/c)${}^2$ with the Bates Large Acceptance Spectrometer Toroid using an internal deuterium gas target, polarized sequentially in both vector and tensor states. The data are compared with calculations. The beam-vector asymmetry $A_{ed}^V$ is found to be directly sensitive to the $D$-wave component of the deuteron and have a zero-crossing at a missing momentum of about 320~MeV/c, as predicted. The tensor asymmetry $A_d^T$ at large missing momentum is found to be dominated by the influence of the tensor force in the neutron-proton final-state interaction. The new data provide a strong constraint on theoretical models.

5 pages, 3 figures