Deep-inelastic electron scattering from nuclei

Inelastic electron scattering is considered in the region of energy and momentum transfer associated with the quasi-elastic and 3-3 resonance peaks. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of mesonic processes in the dip between the quasi-elastic and 3-3 resonance peaks, where previous calculations have failed to account for the experimental cross section. Calculations of quasi-elastic scattering, two-nucleon ejection via the two-body meson-exchange current, and pion electroproduction from threshold through the 3-3 resonance peak are presented. All three contributions are calculated using the simple Fermi gas model of the nucleus. The quasielastic calculation differs from earlier work in that fully relativistic kinematics are retained for all nucleons. The pion production calculation differs from the isobar model which is usually considered, in that only scattering that lead explicitly to a pion-nucleon final state are considered. The meson-exchange contribution is found to be significant in this region, and tends partially to account for the discrepancy between theory and experiment in the dip region. Both meson-exchange and pion production contributions are found to be essentially transverse, while the quasielastic contribution is almost equally divided between longitudinal and transverse components. A discussion of the angular dependence and scaling of each contribution is presented