The strangeness form factors of the proton

Abstract

The present empirical information on the strangeness form factors indicates that the corresponding $uuds\bar{s}$ component in the proton is such that the $uuds$ subsystem has the flavor spin symmetry $[4{]}_{FS}[22{]}_F[22{]}_S$ and mixed orbital symmetry $[31{]}_X$. This $uuds\bar{s}$ configuration leads to the empirical signs of all the form factors $G_E^s$, $G_M^s$ and $G_A^s$. An analysis with simple quark model wave functions for the preferred configuration shows that the qualitative features of the empirical strangeness form factors may be described with a $\sim$ 15% admixture of $uuds\bar{s}$ with a compact wave function in the proton. Transition matrix elements between the $uud$ and the $uuds\bar{s}$ components give significant contributions.