Charged-Current Elastic Scattering at the Electron-Ion Collider

Abstract

We discuss the measurement of the charged-current elastic scattering process $e^-p\rightarrow\nu_e n$ at the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC). This process provides sensitivity to the poorly constrained axial form factor of the nucleon, which encodes the spatial distribution of weak charge. Collisions of electrons with polarized protons enable measuring the axial form factor via the $e^{-\!}\,\vec{p} \to \nu_e\,n$ target-spin asymmetry for the first time. We conclude that a measurement of charged-current elastic scattering at the EIC will, perhaps unsurprisingly, prove very challenging. However, with dedicated instrumentation at a second EIC detector, the measurement may be possible.