Measurement of the Vector and Tensor Asymmetries at Large Missing Momentum in Quasielastic $(\overrightarrow{e},e^{\text{'}}p)$ Electron Scattering from Deuterium

Here, we report the measurement of the beam-vector and tensor asymmetries $A_{ed}^V$ and $A_d^T$ in quasielastic $(\overrightarrow{e},e^{\text{'}}p)$ electrodisintegration of the deuteron at the MIT-Bates Linear Accelerator Center up to missing momentum of $500\mathrm{MeV}/c$. Data were collected simultaneously over a momentum transfer range $0.1<Q^2<0.5(\mathrm{GeV}/c{)}^2$ with the Bates Large Acceptance Spectrometer Toroid using an internal deuterium gas target polarized sequentially in both vector and tensor states. The data are compared with calculations. The beam-vector asymmetry $A_{ed}^V$ is found to be directly sensitive to the $D$-wave component of the deuteron and has a zero crossing at a missing momentum of about $320\mathrm{MeV}/c$, as predicted. The tensor asymmetry $A_d^T$ at large missing momentum is found to be dominated by the influence of the tensor force in the neutron-proton final-state interaction. The new data offer a strong constraint on theoretical models.