Abstract

We apply the perturbative chiral quark model (PCQM) at one loop to analyze the electromagnetic structure of nucleons. This model is based on an effective Lagrangian, where baryons are described by relativistic valence quarks and a perturbative cloud of Goldstone bosons. Including the electromagnetic interaction we first develop the formalism up to one loop in the Goldstone boson fluctuation relying on renormalization by use of counterterms. Local gauge invariance is satisfied both on the Lagrangian level and also for the relevant baryon matrix elements in the Breit frame. We apply the formalism to obtain analytical expressions for the nucleon charge and magnetic form factors, which are expressed in terms of fundamental parameters of low-energy pion-nucleon physics (weak pion decay constant, axial nucleon coupling, strong pion-nucleon form factor) and of only one model parameter (radius of the nucleonic three-quark core). A detailed numerical analysis of the nucleon magnetic moments, charge and magnetic radii, and also the momentum dependence of form factors is presented.