Quasi-elastic and elastic charge-exchange differential cross sections (critical review)

Abstract

More than 50 years ago the charge-exchange of one nucleon in the quasi-elastic nucleon deuteron scattering was proposed to determine the spin independent, or the spin dependent parts of the elastic backward neutron proton differential cross section. For this purpose two measurements are to be performed using unpolarized particles only. Such a suggestion was very attractive for experimentalists, since at that time polarized beams were rare and polarized targets were nonexistent. One experiment consists in the inclusive measurement of the charge-exchange quasi-elastic nucleon deuteron differential cross section. The energy of the fast outgoing nucleon is to be approximately the same as that of the incident nucleon. The intrinsic momenta of the remaining two identical nucleons should be small. The impulse approximation has been assumed, i.e. in the final state of the two nucleons their interaction can be neglected. The quasi-elastic result is to be compared with the elastic np differential cross section in the backward direction at the same energy. The theory related the ratio RQE(π) of the quasi-elastic to the elastic np charge-exchange differential cross sections to the spin dependent part of the np backward elastic scattering amplitude. Several experiments in the nucleon kinetic energy interval below 1 GeV were carried out, where the RQE(π) values were determined. Recently the energy interval was extended up to 2 GeV by successful experiments at the JINR VBLHE Nuclotron. The quasi-elastic results can be compared with the values of the analogous quantity Rnp(π) for the np elastic scattering, calculated from the phase shift analyses below 1.3 GeV. The present paper is a critical review checking expressions for Rnp(π) in different amplitude representations, listing numerical values of elastic np quantities and results of existing quasi-elastic experiments. Conclusions and statements of some authors and the validity of the relevant theory is discussed.