The structure function method applied to polarized and unpolarized electron-proton scattering: a solution of the G_E(p)/G_M(p) discrepancy

The cross section for polarized and unpolarized electron-proton scattering is calculated taking into account radiative corrections in leading and next-to leading logarithmic approximation. The expression of the cross section is formally similar to the cross section of the Drell-Yan process, where the structure functions of the electron play the role of Drell-Yan probability distributions. The interference of the Born amplitude with the two photon exchange amplitude (box-type diagrams) is expressed as a contribution to K-factor and it is larger when the momentum is equally shared between the two photons, assuming that proton form factors decrease rapidly with the momentum transfer squared. The calculation of the box amplitude is done when the intermediate state is a proton or the Delta-resonance. The results of numerical estimations show that the present calculation of radiative corrections can bring into agreement the conflicting experimental results on proton electromagnetic form factors an that the two photon contribution is very small.