Angular conditions, relations between the Breit and light-front frames, and subleading power corrections

Abstract

We analyze the current matrix elements in the general collinear (Breit) frames and find the relation between the ordinary (or canonical) helicity amplitudes and the light-front helicity amplitudes. Using the conservation of angular momentum, we derive a general angular condition which should be satisfied by the light-front helicity amplitudes for any spin system. In addition, we obtain the light-front parity and time-reversal relations for the light-front helicity amplitudes. Applying these relations to the spin-1 form factor analysis, we note that the general angular condition relating the five helicity amplitudes is reduced to the usual angular condition relating the four helicity amplitudes due to the light-front time-reversal condition. We make some comments on the consequences of the angular condition for the analysis of the high-Q{sup 2} deuteron electromagnetic form factors, and we further apply the general angular condition to the electromagnetic transition between spin-1 /2 and spin-3/2 systems and find a relation useful for the analysis of the N-Delta transition form factors. We also discuss the scaling law and the subleading power corrections in the Breit and light-front frames.