Three-body calculations of elastic scattering and stripping of deuterons on 16O

Abstract

A calculation is presented in which a reaction of complex nuclei is approximated by a model three-body problem. The results of such a calculation, for elastic scattering and stripping of deuterons from 16O, are compared to the results obtained from conventional distorted-wave Born approximation (DWBA) calculations. Since severe limitations had to be imposed on the three-body calculation, for computational reasons, and the Coulomb force was neglected, the problem is to be considered a model problem. Experimental data were used to guide the selection of the two-body interactions, but the results cannot meaningfully be compared with data. A comparison of the three-body results to those given by the DWBA show qualitatively good agreement in the differential cross sections for both elastic scattering and stripping, but quantitative agreement is obtained only for the elastic scattering results. Polarization observables show no similarity between the two calculations. Several possible reasons for this discrepancy are discussed, but more work is needed to separate various contributing factors.