  Realistic solutions of the spinor-spinor Bethe-Salpeter equation for the
deuteron with realistic interaction kernel including the exchange of pi, sigma,
omega, rho, eta and delta mesons, are used to systematically investigate
relativistic effects in inclusive quasi-elastic electron-deuteron scattering
within the relativistic impulse approximation. Relativistic y-scaling is
considered by generalising the non relativistic scaling function to the
relativistic case, and it is shown that y-scaling does occur in the usual
relativistic scaling variable resulting from the energy conservation in the
instant form of dynamics. The present approach of y-scaling is fully covariant,
with the deuteron being described by eight components, viz. the 3S_1^{++},
3S_1^{--}, 3D_1^{++}, 3D_1^{--}, 3P_1^{+-}, 3P_1^{-+}, 1P_1^{+-}, 1P_1^{-+}
waves. It is demonstrated that if the negative relative energy states 1P_1,
3P_1 are disregarded, the concept of covariant momentum distributions N(p_0,p),
with p_0=M_D/2-\sqrt{p^2+m^2}, can be introduced, and that calculations of
lectro-disintegration cross section in terms of these distributions agree
within few percents with the exact calculations which include the 1P_1, 3P_1
states, provided the nucleon three momentum |p|\<= 1 GeV/c; in this momentum
range, the asymptotic relativistic scaling function is shown to coincide with
the longitudinal covariant momentum distribution.
