Parity-violating excitation of the Δ(1232):: hadron structure and new physics

We consider prospects for studying the parity-violating (PV) electroweak excitation of the Delta(1232) resonance with polarized electron scattering. Given present knowledge of Standard Model parameters, such PV experiments could allow a determination of the N --> Delta electroweak helicity amplitudes. We discuss the experimental feasibility and theoretical interpretability of such a determination as well as the prospective implications for hadron structure theory. We also analyze the extent to which a PV N --> Delta measurement could constrain various extensions of the Standard Model. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.