Parity-violating elastic electron scattering and nuclear structure

Abstract

We discuss parity-violating elastic electron scattering as a complementary tool in the race for more precise determinations of neutron densities in nuclei. Isovector and isoscalar densities and form factors in N > Z and N = Z stable nuclei are discussed taking Pb-208 and Si-28 as examples. Distorted wave calculations of parity-violating asymmetries are shown and are compared to the plane wave impulse approximation. The extraction of the ratio between neutron and proton monopole form factors is discussed. The isospin mixing produced by Coulomb interaction in the ground state of N = Z nuclei with Skyrme selfconsistent mean fields is also discussed.