Experimental study of exclusive $^2$H$(e,e^\prime p)n$ reaction mechanisms at high $Q^2$

Abstract

The reaction $^2$H$(e,e^\prime p)n$ has been studied with full kinematic coverage for photon virtuality $1.75<Q^2<5.5$ GeV$^2$. Comparisons of experimental data with theory indicate that for very low values of neutron recoil momentum ($p_n<100$ MeV/c) the neutron is primarily a spectator and the reaction can be described by the plane-wave impulse approximation. For $100<p_n<750$ MeV/c proton-neutron rescattering dominates the cross section, while $\Delta$ production followed by the $N\Delta \to NN$ transition is the primary contribution at higher momenta.