Quasielastic knock-out of clusters by electrons and nuclear restructuring effects

The general microscopic formalism is presented for the description of the quasielastic knock-out of α clusters from p-shell nuclei by ultrarelativistic electrons. Manifestations of nuclear structure in differential cross sections and angular distributions are studied. The typical ¹²C(e,e^'α)⁸Be reaction is considered in the PWIA and DWIA approximations; particular attention is paid to the effects of virtually excited cluster states inside the initial nucleus. Suggestions for the observation of nuclear restructuring effects (interplay between diagonal and off-diagonal transitions with respect to the intrinsic state of the cluster) are proposed.