Final-state interactions in inclusive deep-inelastic scattering from the deuteron.

We explore the role of final-state interactions (FSIs) in inclusive deep-inelastic scattering from the deuteron. Relating the inclusive cross section to the deuteron forward virtual Compton scattering amplitude, a general formula for the FSI contribution is derived in the generalized eikonal approximation, utilizing the diffractive nature of the effective hadron-nucleon interaction. The calculation uses a factorized model with a basis of three resonances with mass W < 2 GeV and a continuum contribution for larger W as the relevant set of effective hadron states entering the final-state interaction amplitude. The results show sizeable on-shell FSI contributions for Bjorken x ≿ 0.6 and Q² ≾ 10 GeV², increasing in magnitude for lower Q2, but vanishing in the high-Q² limit because of phase-space constraints. The off-shell rescattering contributes at x ≿ 0.8 and is taken as an uncertainty on the on-shell result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]