Construction of form factors of composite systems by a generalized Wigner-Eckart theorem for the Poincaré group

Abstract

The relativistic approach to electroweak properties of two-particle composite systems developed previously is generalized here to the case of nonzero spin. This approach is based on the instant form of relativistic Hamiltonian dynamics. A special mathematical technique is used for the parametrization of matrix elements of electroweak current operators in terms of form factors. The parametrization is a realization of the generalized Wigner--Eckart theorem on the Poincar\'e group, form factors are corresponding reduced matrix elements and they have the sense of distributions (generalized functions). The electroweak current matrix element satisfies the relativistic covariance conditions and in the case of electromagnetic current it also automatically satisfies the conservation law.