A relativistic theory of electron‐nucleus scattering

A consistent relativistic formalism is developed for electron‐nucleus scattering. It is based on renormalizable relativistic quantum field theories of mesons and baryons (quantum hadrodynamics). The relativistic Hartree approximation describes the target using four‐component Dirac wave functions. An effective, local electromagnetic current operator is constructed that reproduces electron scattering from a single nucleon. This operator is explicitly conserved in the relativistic Hartree approximation and, together with the Hatree wave functions, provides a consistent covariant formalism for electron‐nucleus scattering. Applications of the formalism to elastic charge and magnetic scattering are discussed.