Within a nuclear model that the deuteron has NN and \pi NN components, we derive convolution formula for investigating the Drell-Yan process in proton-deuteron (pd) reactions. The contribution from the \pi NN component is expressed in terms of a pion momentum distribution that depends sensitively on the \pi NN form factor. With a \pi NN form factor determined by fitting the \pi N scattering data up to invariant mass W = 1.3 GeV, we find that the pion-exchange and nucleon Fermi-motion effects can change significantly the ratios between the proton-deuteron and proton-proton Drell-Yan cross sections, R_{ pd/pp} = \sigma^{ pd}/(2\sigma^{ pp}), in the region where the partons emitted from the target deuteron are in the Bjorken x_2 > 0.4 region. The calculated ratios R_{ pd/pp} at 800 GeV agree with the available data. Predictions at 120 GeV for analyzing the forthcoming data from Fermilab are presented.
Categories: hep-ph hep-ex nucl-ex nucl-th