A discussion of deuteron transverse charge densities

TL;DR

This paper examines how different models of the deuteron charge form factor affect the transverse charge density, especially at the center, and analyzes contributions to its radius from various wave function regions.

Contribution

It highlights the model dependence of the deuteron transverse charge density and explores the impact of wave function regions on the deuteron's radius.

Findings

Different parameterizations yield varying central densities.

All models fit small Q^2 form factor data well.

Wave function regions contribute differently to the radius.

Abstract

The deuteron transverse charge density $\rho_C(b)$ is the two-dimensional Fourier transform of its charge form factor in the impact space. We show that different parameterizations of the charge form factors provide different $\rho_C(b)$, in particular at the central value of impact parameter ($b=0$), although all the parameterizations can well reproduce the form factors in the region of small $Q^2$. In addition, we also check the explicit contributions from the different coordinate intervals of the deuteron wave function to its root-mean-square radius.