Role of vector mesons in high-Q2lepton-nucleon scattering

The possible role played by vector mesons in inclusive deep-inelastic lepton-nucleon scattering is investigated. In the context of the convolution model, we calculate self-consistently the scaling contribution to the nucleon structure function using the formalism of time-ordered perturbation theory in the infinite momentum frame. Our results indicate potentially significant effects only when the vector-meson-nucleon form factor is very hard. Agreement with the experimental antiquark distributions, however, requires relatively soft form factors for the $\pi N$, $\rho N$, and $\omega N$ vertices.