Results on the spin-dependent structure function of the deuteron $g^{d}_{1}(x)$

We present recent preliminary results on the deuteron spin-dependent structure function, measured by the SMC Collaboration at CERN in a polarized muon deep inelastic scattering experiment. The kinematic range of the data was 0.003 < x < 0.7 and I GeV2 < Q2 < 60 GeV2. The first moment of gf was found to be rf = 0.034 ± 0.009 (stat.) ± 0.005 (syst .) which is in contradiction with the value predicted by the corresponding Ellis-Jaffe sum rule. A combined analysis of these data with previous deuteron, proton and neutron data confirms the Bjerken sum rule to within 8% of the theoretical value. The data are also interpreted in terms of the quark contribution to the nucleon spin .6.E.