The asymptotic S-state amplitude and the root mean square radius of the deuteron

The values of the root mean square radius of the deuteron (r D ) given by Berard et al. (1973), Allen et al. (1981) and Simon et al. (1980, 1981) are compared. Model calculations suggest that the elastic electron-deuteron scattering data of Akimov et al. (1979) are not in the most suitable region to extract a useful value for r D . The method proposed by Wilson is used to extract r D , for the value of the asymptotic S-state amplitude (A s ) given by Kermode et al. (1963, 1971) from the data of Berard et al. (1981). If one ignores the quadrupole form factor, C Q (q 2 ), and the meson-exchange correction given by Lomon, one finds r D =1.958+or-0.005 fm, while including these terms gives r D =1.956+or-0.005 fm.