Contrasting N -> Delta and N -> N parity-violating asymmetries in nuclei

Several perspectives that can be opened by studying the electroexcitation o f the delta via parity-violating electron scattering from nuclei are examin ed, working within the context of the relativistic Fermi-gas model. h stron g enhancement of the left-right asymmetry in the delta sector compared with that in the quasielastic regime is found and the potential to find clear s ignatures for the axial-vector contributions of the nucleon-to-delta transi tion to the asymmetry identified at specific low momentum transfer kinemati cs. Possibilities of probing the deformation of the delta are also explored , and using both the proton and nuclei as targets, the ability to study the asymmetry on neutrons is studied. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.