Polarization observables in electronuclear two-nucleon knockout

Abstract

Differential (e,e'pp) measurements are presently recognized as a way of studying short-range correlations in finite nuclei. The ($\vec{e},e'\vec{p}p$) and ($\vec{e},e'\vec{p}n$) differential cross section and polarization observables are studied in a microscopic model that accounts for the short-range correlations, outgoing-nucleon distortions, meson-exchange and $\Delta$-isobar currents. It is pointed out that polarization observables represent an attractive alternative for absolute electronuclear two-nucleon knockout measurements. In the polarization transfer $P'_t$ for ($\vec{e},e'\vec{p}p$), the effect of central short-range correlations is predicted to be large while at the same time the final-state interaction effects are small.