The authors present a relativistic and cross-section factorized framework for
computing quasielastic A(p,pN) observables at intermediate and high energies.
The model is based on the eikonal approximation and can accomodate both optical
potentials and the Glauber method for dealing with the initial- and final-state
interactions (IFSI). At lower nucleon energies, the optical-potential
philosophy is preferred, whereas at higher energies the Glauber method is more
natural. This versatility in dealing with the IFSI allows one to describe
A(p,pN) reactions in a wide energy range. Most results presented here use
optical potentials as this approach is argued to be the optimum choice for the
kinematics of the experiments considered in the present paper. The properties
of the IFSI factor, a function wherein the entire effect of the IFSI is
contained, are studied in detail. The predictions of the presented framework
are compared with two kinematically different experiments. First, differential
cross sections for quasielastic proton scattering at 1 GeV off 12C, 16O, and
40Ca target nuclei are computed and compared to data from PNPI. Second, the
formalism is applied to the analysis of a 4He(p,2p) experiment at 250 MeV. The
optical-potential calculations are found to be in good agreement with the data
from both experiments, showing the reliability of the adopted model in a wide
energy range.Comment: 34 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.