Continuum-discretized coupled-channels method for four-body nuclear breakup inHe6+C12scattering

Abstract

We propose a fully quantum-mechanical method of treating four-body nuclear breakup processes in scattering of a projectile consisting of three constituents, by extending the continuum-discretized coupled-channels method. The three-body continuum states of the projectile are discretized by diagonalizing the internal Hamiltonian of the projectile with the Gaussian basis functions. For $^{6}\mathrm{He}+^{12}\mathrm{C}$ scattering at 18 and $229.8\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{MeV}$, the validity of the method is tested by convergence of the elastic and breakup cross sections with respect to increasing the number of the basis functions. Effects of the four-body breakup and the Borromean structure of $^{6}\mathrm{He}$ on the elastic and total reaction cross sections are discussed.