Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2018/iii/paper-305/4/b/solution

For an unpolarized electromagnetic target, Lorentz covariance and parity symmetry in quantum field theory permit a symmetric hadronic tensor built from , and , where . Its surviving general form is
The totally antisymmetric tensor structure is excluded by electromagnetic parity symmetry in quantum field theory for this unpolarized target. The other possible antisymmetric structure, , cannot be transverse for generic scattering kinematics and hence is excluded by current conservation. Current conservation gives the Ward identities , imposing
Two scalar functions remain. Taking gives the transverse basis
These are the deep-inelastic structure functions; is Bjorken x. At fixed target mass, the two independent Lorentz scalar invariants can equivalently be chosen as . In this paper has dimensions of mass squared, rather than the alternative convention used for energy transfer.

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