The Bloom-Gilman local duality of the inelastic structure function of the proton, the deuteron, and light complex nuclei is investigated using available experimental data in the squared four-momentum transfer range from $0.3$ to $5\hspace{0.5em}(\mathrm{GeV}{/c)}^2$. The results of our analysis suggest that the onset of the Bloom-Gilman local duality is anticipated in complex nuclei with respect to the case of the proton and the deuteron. A possible interpretation of this result in terms of a rescaling effect is discussed with particular emphasis on the possibility of reproducing the damping of the nucleon-resonance transitions observed in recent electroproduction data off nuclei.

• Received 5 March 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.57.356