Quasielastic electron-deuteron scattering in the weak binding approximation

Abstract

We perform a global analysis of all available electron-deuteron quasielastic scattering data using Q^2-dependent smearing functions that describe inclusive inelastic e-d scattering within the weak binding approximation. We study the dependence of the cross sections on the deuteron wave function and the off-shell extrapolation of the elastic electron-nucleon cross sections, which show particular sensitivity at x >> 1. The excellent overall agreement with data over a large range of Q^2 and x suggests a limited need for effects beyond the impulse approximation, with the possible exception of the very high-x or very low-Q^2 regions, where short-distance effects or scattering from non-nucleonic constituents in the deuteron become more relevant.