A measurement of nuclear effects in deep inelastic muon scattering on deuterium, nitrogen and iron targets

New data is presented on the ratios of structure functions F 2 ( x , Q 2 ) measured in deep inelastic muon scattering with deuterium, nitrogen, and iron targets. The existence of nuclear effects at large Q 2 is confirmed with improved systematic accuracy. The ratio F 2 Fe ( x ) F 2 D 2 ( x ) covers the range 0.20 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.70 and is in agreement with earlier measurements. The ratio F 2 N 2 ( x )/ F 2 D 2 ( x ) is measured over the range 0.08 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.70 and is compatible with unity below x = 0.3.