Relativistic and Nuclear Structure Effects in Parity-Violating Quasielastic Electron Scattering

Abstract

The parity violating longitudinal asymmetry $\mathcal{A}$ is calculated for quasielastic electron scattering. We use a variety of relativistic mean field models for the response of nuclear matter and ${}^{12}$C at a momentum transfer of q=550 MeV/c. Relativistic effects from a reduced nucleon mass, RPA correlations and vacuum polarization can all change $\mathcal{A}$ by a relatively large amount. These large nuclear structure corrections could make it impossible to extract strange quark matrix elements or radiative corrections to weak axial currents.

23 pages, Latex with Revtex, 17 figures (not included); HARD copies available on request, SCRI-020593