Parity-Violating Electron Scattering and the Electric and Magnetic Strange Form Factors of the Nucleon

Abstract

Measurement of the neutral weak vector form factors of the nucleon provides unique access to the strange quark content of the nucleon. These form factors can be studied using parity-violating electron scattering. A comprehensive program of experiments has been performed at three accelerator laboratories to determine the role of strange quarks in the electromagnetic form factors of the nucleon. This article reviews the remarkable technical progress associated with this program, describes the various methods used in the different experiments, and summarizes the physics results along with recent theoretical calculations.

Invited review for Annual Reviews of Nuclear and Particle Science, Oct 2012; as per Ann. Rev. policy, this is the originally submitted version, before refereeing and editorial work