Gauge fields, hidden local symmetries, and meson exchange currents

Abstract The model dependence of the electromagnetic isovector meson exchange current (MEC) operator at higher momentums transfer is studied. For this purpose, the MEC operator constructed from a Lagrangian of the πϱa 1 system obtained within the framework of the hidden local symmetries (HLS) approach is compared with the analogous operator derived earlier from a minimal Yang-Mills (YM) Lagrangian. Numerical results for the deuteron disintegration near threshold show that the model dependent part of the exchange current modifies the tail of the cross section sensibly and that the presence of the a 1 meson both in the MEC and in the nuclear interaction provides a consistent description of th…