Total nucleon-nucleus reaction cross sections calculated in the frame of the cascade model.

Abstract

Total nucleon reaction cross sections with nuclei are necessary as input data for various applications, such as transport calculations or prediction of different radiation effects. Nevertheless, experimental data until now are rather scarce and contradictory whereas reliable theoretical models are absent. The optical model of nuclear reactions, most often used for the calculation of reaction cross sections, cannot be applied for extrapolation into the regions where no experimental data exist, due to the large number of free parameters in the phenomenological optical potential. This paper presents the calculations of nucleon reaction cross sections in the frame of the new generalised cascade model. The model includes the self-consistent description of the nucleon density and potential in nuclei, accurate consideration of the refraction process by the mean field, non-locality of the nuclear interaction and reduction of the nucleon-nucleon interaction cross sections in dense nuclear matter. The results of the calculations show overall good agreement with available experimental data in wide ranges of nuclei and nucleon energies from 10 MeV to 10 GeV without free model parameters. The present model may be a good base for the creation of global systematics of total nucleon reaction cross sections.