Deep inelastic electron scattering from the deuteron

An introduction is given to phenomenological analysis of deep inelastic scattering processes. Experimental data are briefly analyzed in connection with sum rules and Quantum Chromodynamics expectations, mainly for polarized particles. A general theoretical approach is discussed in computing the nuclear structure functions, namely, the nuclear convolution mechanism. In order to emphasize the role of nuclear effects, some experimental data are considered to demonstrate that even within the same theoretical approach, by using the convolution formula one may get contradictory conclusions about the dependence on the nuclear target. A method is presented of unfolding both the spin-dependent and the spin-independent nucleon structure functions from combined nuclear data. A theoretical nuclear model is discussed of deep inelastic reactions based on the Bethe-Salpeter formalism. (J.B.) 1 tab., 15 figs. 40 refs