Quenching and hardening in the transverse quasi-elastic peak

We study in the RPA framework the collective response of symmetric, infinite nuclear matter to a spin-isospin sensitive probe with both σ · q and σ × q couplings. The two responses, similar in the low-q region, differ markedly for moderate momenta (?1 fm^?1). Indeed the collective effect manifests itself quite differently in the two responses; whereas the longitudinal one displays a softening and an enhancement (due to the attractive character of the associated particle-hole force), the transverse response is quenched and hardened with respect to the free Fermi gas. The existing experimental data, which we analyze, are compatible with our results. We also explore the total strengths and find that for repulsive forces they are appreciably reduced by the RPA correlations. A large part of this quenching comes from the Δ-excitation (LLEE effect), but some reduction is still present even when the nucleonic degrees of freedom are neglected. This illustrates a violation of strength conservation brought about by the RPA correlations in the spin-isospin channel.