Quark content of the nucleon in QCD: Perturbative and nonperturbative aspects

We elaborate on two proposed model distribution amplitudes for the nucleon, based on perturbative light-cone QCD supplemented by QCD sum rules. The novel nonperturbative features of these amplitudes are discussed in detail. Reasonable predictions for the Dirac form factor of the proton and the neutron are obtained, paying particular attention to the treatment of the effective coupling constant ${\alpha }_s\left(Q^2\right)$ and the scale parameter ${\Lambda }_{\mathrm{QCD}}$. In addition, the stability properties of the sum rules for the moments of these model distribution amplitudes are analyzed. The range of values of the parameters entering the sum rules is estimated. Relying on expectation values of longitudinal-momentum fractions instead of moments, a heuristic interpretation of the physical content of the model distribution amplitudes is attempted.