Studies of the Deuteron at High Four-Momentum Transfer

Experiment E01-020\footnote{Spokespersons: W. Boeglin, M. Jones, A. Klein, P. Ulmer and E. Voutier} systematically explores the $^{2}$H$(e,e'p)n$ reaction (electro-disintegration of the deuteron) over a broad kinematical range of four-momentum transfer, $Q^{2}$ = 0.8, 2.1 and 3.5 $($GeV$/c)^{2}$, and missing momentum, $p_{m}$ = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 GeV$/c$. This systematic approach will help to examine the reaction mechanism and short-distance structure of the deuteron. A separation of the longitudinal-transverse interference response function, $R_{LT} $, at the quasi-elastic peak will provide important constraints for relativistic theories of this reaction. Experiment E01-020 was performed in Hall A at Jefferson Lab in 2002. The physics motivations, run summary and experimental setup will be presented.