The influence of vacuum polarization on the Sherman function during elastic electron-nucleus scattering

TL;DR

This paper investigates how vacuum polarization affects the transverse spin asymmetry (Sherman function) in elastic electron-nucleus scattering at high energies, providing detailed calculations across various elements and energies.

Contribution

It introduces a calculation of vacuum polarization effects on the Sherman function within the Uehling approximation for high-energy electron scattering.

Findings

Vacuum polarization significantly influences the Sherman function at high energies.

Results vary across different nuclei and energy levels.

The study provides detailed predictions for experimental verification.

Abstract

The change of the transverse spin asymmetry in the scattering of highly-relativistic spin-polarized electrons from nuclei by vacuum polarization effects is calculated within the Uehling approximation. Results are provided for 1 - 100 MeV electrons scattering from 31P, 64Zn, 152Sm, 197Au and 207,208Pb at backward angles.