Determination of the pattern of nuclear binding from the data on lepton–nucleus deep inelastic scattering

• Published in: The European physical journal. C, Particles and fields Particles and fields, 1999-09, Vol.10 (2), p.239-247
• Main Author: Smirnov, G.I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Binding; Crossovers; Dependence; Inelastic scattering; Leptons; Nucleons
• ISSN: 1434-6044; 1434-6052
• DOI: 10.1007/s100529900107

Nucleon structure function ratios \(r^A(x) = F_2^A(x)/F_2^{\mathrm {D}}(x)\) measured in the range of atomic masses \(A \geq 4 \) are analyzed with the aim of determining the pattern of the x and A dependence of \(F_2(x)\) modifications caused by the nuclear environment. It is found that the x and A dependence of the deviations of the \(r^A(x)\) from unity can be factorized in the entire range of x. The characteristic feature of the factorization is represented with the three cross-over points \(x_i\), i = 1–3 in which \(r^A(x)= 1 \) independently of A. In the range \(x > 0.7\) the pattern of \(r^A(x)\) is fixed with \(x_3 = 0.84 \pm 0.01\). The pattern of the x dependence is compared with theoretical calculations of Burov, Molochkov and Smirnov to demonstrate that the evolution of the nucleon structure as a function of A occurs in two stages: first for \(A \leq 4\) and second for \(A > 4\). The long-standing problem of the origin of the EMC effect is understood as a modification of the nucleon structure in the field responsible for the binding forces in a three-nucleon system.