Deuteron electrodisintegration near threshold in the Bethe-Salpeter approach

In the framework of the covariant Bethe-Salpeter formalism we calculate the amplitude of electrodisintegration of the deuteron near the threshold energy. Due to the small relative momentum of the final np-pair, the deuteron break-up process may be sufficiently described by a transition to the dominant 1S0 channel into the final state. Therefore only one unknown structure function (form factor) exists. The explicit formula for this form factor is given in terms of partial Bethe-Salpeter amplitudes. We compare our result to the usual non-relativistic calculations. The essential role of P-states as well as their possible link to mesonic exchange currents is discussed.