Polarization-transfer measurement to a large-virtuality bound proton in the deuteron

Possible differences between free and bound protons may be observed in the ratio of polarization-transfer components, $P_x/P_z$. We report the measurement of $P_x/P_z$, in the $^2textrm{H}(vec{e},e^{prime}vec{p})n$ reaction at low and high missing momenta. Observed increasing deviation of $P_x/P_z$ from that of a free proton as a function of the virtuality, similar to that observed in hefour, indicates that the effect in nuclei is due to the virtuality of the knock-out proton and not due to the average nuclear density. The measured differences from calculations assuming free-proton form factors ($sim10%$), may indicate in-medium modifications.