On the usefulness of the spectral function concept

The usefulness of the spectral function S in the process 3He(e,e'N) has been investigated in a kinematical regime constrained by the conditions that the three-nucleon center-of-mass energy is less than 150 MeV and the magnitude of the three-momentum transfer smaller than 600 MeV/c. Results based on a full treatment of the final state interaction are compared to the spectral function approximation. In the case of proton knockout in the direction of the photon kinematical conditions have been identified where both response functions, RL and RT, can be well approximated by S. These conditions occur for certain low missing momenta and missing energies but not in all cases. So care is required. In case of neutron knockout only RT is a candidate for an approximate treatment by S. In the case of RL the concept of using S is not valid in the studied kinematical regime. This does not exclude the possibility that beyond that regime it might be useful. Possible applications using S for the extraction of electromagnetic form factors of the nucleons are pointed out.