Coulomb and nuclear effects in breakup and reaction cross sections

We use a three-body Continuum Discretized Coupled Channel (CDCC) model to investigate Coulomb and nuclear effects in breakup and reaction cross sections. The breakup of the projectile is simulated by a finite number of square integrable wave functions. First we show that the scattering matrices can be split in a nuclear term, and in a Coulomb term. This decomposition is based on the Lippmann-Schwinger equation, and requires the scattering wave functions. We present two different methods to separate both effects. Then, we apply this separation to breakup and reaction cross sections of 7Li + 208Pb. For breakup, we investigate various aspects, such as the role of the alpha + t continuum, the angular-momentum distribution, and the balance between Coulomb and nuclear effects. We show that there is a large ambiguity in defining the 'Coulomb' and 'nuclear' breakup cross sections, since both techniques, although providing the same total breakup cross sections, strongly differ for the individual components. We suggest a third method which could be efficiently used to address convergence problems at large angular momentum. For reaction cross sections, interference effects are smaller, and the nuclear contribution is dominant above the Coulomb barrier. We also draw attention on different definitions of the reaction cross section which exist in the literature, and which may induce small, but significant, differences in the numerical values.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figure

A Semiclassical Approach to Fusion Reactions

The semiclassical method of Alder and Winther is generalized to study fusion reactions. As an illustration, we evaluate the fusion cross section in a schematic two-channel calculation. The results are shown to be in good agreement with those obtained with a quantal Coupled-Channels calculation. We suggest that in the case of coupling to continuum states this approach may provide a simpler alternative to the Continuum Discretized Coupled-Channels method.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, invited talk at the International Symposium "A new era of Nuclear Structure Physics", Niigata, Japan, Nov. 19-22 200

A consistent four-body CDCC model of low-energy reactions: Application to 9Be + 208Pb

We investigate the $^9$Be + $^{208}$Pb elastic scattering, breakup and fusion at energies around the Coulomb barrier. The three processes are described simultaneously, with identical conditions of calculations. The $^{9}$Be nucleus is defined in an $\alpha + \alpha$ + n three-body model, using the hyperspherical coordinate method. We first analyze spectroscopic properties of $^9$Be, and show that the model provides a fairly good description of the low-lying states. The scattering with $^{208}$Pb is then studied with the Continuum Discretized Coupled Channel (CDCC) method, where the $\alpha+\alpha$ + n continuum is approximated by a discrete number of pseudostates. Optical potentials for the $\alpha$+ $^{208}$Pb and n+ $^{208}$Pb systems are taken from the literature. We present elastic-scattering and fusion cross sections at different energies.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, Proceedings of the International Conference on Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions, NN 2015, Catania-Italy. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1410.641

Transverse Isotropy in Identical Particle Scattering

It is pointed out that the cross section for the scattering of identical charged bosons is isotropic over a broad angular range around 90 degrees when the Sommerfeld parameter has a critical value, which depends exclusively on the spin of the particle. A discussion of systems where this phenomenon can be observed is presented.Comment: 8 pages, RevTeX format, 2 figures (.eps format

Improved WKB approximation for quantum tunneling: Application to heavy ion fusion

In this paper we revisit the one-dimensional tunneling problem. We consider Kemble's approximation for the transmission coefficient. We show how this approximation can be extended to above-barrier energies by performing the analytical continuation of the radial coordinate to the complex plane. We investigate the validity of this approximation by comparing their predictions for the cross section and for the barrier distribution with the corresponding quantum mechanical results. We find that the extended Kemble's approximation reproduces the results of quantum mechanics with great accuracy.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, in press, in European. Phys. Journal A (2017

Approximate transmission coefficients in heavy ion fusion

In this paper we revisit the one-dimensional tunnelling problem. We consider different approximations for the transmission through the Coulomb barrier in heavy ion collisions at near-barrier energies. First, we discuss approximations of the barrier shape by functional forms where the transmission coefficient is known analytically. Then, we consider Kemble's approximation for the transmission coefficient. We show how this approximation can be extended to above-barrier energies by performing the analytical continuation of the radial coordinate to the complex plane. We investigate the validity of the different approximations considered in this paper by comparing their predictions for transmission coefficients and cross sections of three heavy ion systems with the corresponding quantum mechanical results.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figure