Longitudinal-transverse separations of deep-inelastic structure functions at low Q(2) for hydrogen and deuterium

We report on a study of the longitudinal to transverse cross section ratio, R=σL/σT, at low values of x and Q2, as determined from inclusive inelastic electron-hydrogen and electron-deuterium scattering data from Jefferson Laboratory Hall C spanning the four-momentum transfer range 0.06<Q2<2.8GeV2. Even at the lowest values of Q2, R remains nearly constant and does not disappear with decreasing Q2, as might be expected. We find a nearly identical behavior for hydrogen and deuterium. © 2007 The American Physical Society.