Parity violation in quasifree electron scattering off the deuteron

Abstract

For deuteron electroweak disintegration, parity violating effects are investigated which arise from the interference of $\gamma$ and $Z$ exchange as well as from the hadronic sector via a small parity violating component in the deuteron. The general formalism for the differential cross section and polarization observables of electromagnetic deuteron disintegration is extended to incorporate parity violating contributions. Formal expressions for the additional structure functions are derived. Results are presented for these parity violating structure functions for quasifree kinematics neglecting final state interaction and two-body effects. Both types of parity violating contributions to the asymmetry of the inclusive reaction with respect to longitudinally polarized electrons are evaluated. The one from parity violating deuteron components is negligible over the whole range of momentum transfers considered.