Measurement of tensor polarization in elastic electron-deuteron scattering in the momentum-transfer range 3.8≤q≤4.6fm−1

The tensor polarization ${\mathit{t}}_{20}$ of the recoil deuteron in elastic e-d scattering has been measured for three values of four-momentum transfer, q=3.78, 4.22, and 4.62 ${\mathrm{fm}}^{\mathrm{-}1}$. The data have been used to locate the first node in the charge monopole form factor of the deuteron at q=4.39±0.16 ${\mathrm{fm}}^{\mathrm{-}1}$. The results for ${\mathit{t}}_{20}$ are in reasonable agreement with expectations based on the nucleon-meson description of nuclear dynamics.