Radiative pion capture in nuclei: a continuum shell-model approach

The radiative pion capture process in nuclei is approached by using a continuum shell-model description of the nucleus, together with a phenomenological treatment of the two particle-two hole effects. It is found that these effects play an important role to reproduce the observed experimental photon energy distribution. This distribution as well as the integrated one depends significantly on the details of the mean field potential. This makes this process interesting to investigate the nuclear structure dynamics.Comment: 21 pages, LateX file + 5 figures, epsf.st

A model of short-range correlations in the charge response

The validity of a model treating the short-range correlations up to the first order is studied by calculating the charge response of an infinite system and comparing the obtained results with those of a Fermi Hypernetted Chain calculation.Comment: 6 pages, 3 Postscript figures, to be published on Phys. Rev.

A Method to Determine the In-Air Spatial Spread of Clinical Electron Beams

We propose and analyze in detail a method to measure the in-air spatial spread parameter of clinical electron beams. Measurements are performed at the center of the beam and below the adjustable collimators sited in asymmetrical configuration in order to avoid the distortions due to the presence of the applicator. The main advantage of our procedure lies in the fact that the dose profiles are fitted by means of a function which includes, additionally to the Gaussian step usually considered, a background which takes care of the dose produced by different mechanisms that the Gaussian model does not account for. As a result, the spatial spread is obtained directly from the fitting procedure and the accuracy permits a good determination of the angular spread. The way the analysis is done is alternative to that followed by the usual methods based on the evaluation of the penumbra width. Besides, the spatial spread found shows the quadratic-cubic dependence with the distance to the source predicted by the Fermi-Eyges theory. However, the corresponding values obtained for the scattering power are differing from those quoted by ICRU nr. 35 by a factor ~2 or larger, what requires of a more detailed investigation.Comment: 11 pages, 5 Postscript figures, to be published in Medical Physic

Superscaling in electroweak excitation of nuclei

Superscaling properties of 12C, 16O and 40Ca nuclear responses, induced by electron and neutrino scattering, are studied for momentum transfer values between 300 and 700 MeV/c. We have defined two indexes to have quantitative estimates of the scaling quality. We have analyzed experimental responses to get the empirical values of the two indexes. We have then investigated the effects of finite dimensions, collective excitations, meson exchange currents, short-range correlations and final state interactions. These effects strongly modify the relativistic Fermi gas scaling functions, but they conserve the scaling properties. We used the scaling functions to predict electron and neutrino cross sections and we tested their validity by comparing them with the cross sections obtained with a full calculation. For electron scattering we also made a comparison with data. We have calculated the total charge-exchange neutrino cross sections for neutrino energies up to 300 MeV.Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures, 1 table; to be published in Physical Review

Magnetic excitations in nuclei with neutron excess

The excitation of the $1^+$, $2^-$ and $3^+$ modes in $^{16}$O, $^{22}$O, $^{24}$O, $^{28}$O, $^{40}$Ca, $^{48}$Ca, $^{52}$Ca and $^{60}$Ca nuclei is studied with self-consistent random phase approximation calculations. Finite-range interactions of Gogny type, containing also tensor-isospin terms, are used. We analyze the evolution of the magnetic resonances with the increasing number of neutrons, the relevance of collective effects, the need of a correct treatment of the continuum and the role of the tensor force.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in Physical Review