Nucleon-nucleus Interaction Research Articles

Measurement of the neutrino-oxygen neutral-current quasielastic cross section using atmospheric neutrinos in the SK-Gd experiment

We report the first measurement of the atmospheric neutrino-oxygen neutral-current quasielastic (NCQE) cross section in the gadolinium-loaded Super-Kamiokande (SK) water Cherenkov detector. In June 2020, SK began a new experimental phase, named SK-Gd, by loading 0.011% by mass of gadolinium into the ultrapure water of the SK detector. The introduction of gadolinium to ultrapure water has the effect of improving the neutron-tagging efficiency. Using a 552.2 day dataset from August 2020 to June 2022, we measure the NCQE cross section to be 0.74±0.22(stat)−0.15+0.85(syst)×10−38 cm2/oxygen in the energy range from 160 MeV to 10 GeV, which is consistent with the atmospheric neutrino-flux-averaged theoretical NCQE cross section and the measurement in the SK pure-water phase within the uncertainties. Furthermore, we compare the models of the nucleon-nucleus interactions in water and find that the binary cascade model and the Liège intranuclear cascade model provide a somewhat better fit to the observed data than the Bertini cascade model. Since the atmospheric neutrino-oxygen NCQE reactions are one of the main backgrounds in the search for diffuse supernova neutrino background (DSNB), these new results will contribute to future studies—and the potential discovery—of the DSNB in SK. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Verification of T Invariance in the Total Interaction Cross Section of Neutrons with Unpolarized Nuclei Using the Polarization–Asymmetry Theorem

To date, the violation of T invariance (TI) has been experimentally established for the decays [J.H.Christenson et al., Phys. Rev. Lett.13, 138 (1964)] and oscillations [A. Angelopoulos et al., Phys. Lett. B444, 43 (1998)] of neutral kaons. Phenomenologically, TI violation in the system of neutral kaons is associated with the difference of the Kobayashi–Maskawa phase from zero (or from π) in the standard model of the electroweak interaction. For nucleon–nucleus interactions, this phase turns out to be very small [P.Herszeg, inSymmetries and Fundamental Interactions in Nuclei, World Scientific, Singapore (1995), p.89)]. Estimates of the nucleon–nucleon matrix element corresponding to TI violation in various models are given in [V. Gudkov, inFundamental Physics with Pulsed Neutron Beams, World Scientific, Singapore (2001), p. 117]. All these estimates are small and have a large spread. Therefore, the verification of TI in nuclear processes actually means a search for other mechanisms for its violation. Below is a description of the experimental methods for TI verification in the total interaction cross sections of low-energy resonance neutrons with unpolarized nuclei with the use of the polarization–asymmetry (PA) theorem.

Chiral uncertainties in ab initio elastic nucleon-nucleus scattering

The effective interaction between a nucleon and a nucleus is one of the most important ingredients for reaction theories. Theoretical formulations were introduced early by Feshbach and Watson, and efforts of deriving and computing those ‘optical potentials’ in a microscopic fashion have a long tradition. However, only recently the leading order term in the Watson multiple scattering approach could be calculated fully ab initio, meaning that the same nucleon-nucleon (NN) interaction enters both the structure as well as the reaction pieces on equal footing. This allows the uncertainties from the underlying chiral effective NN interaction to be systematically explored in nucleon-nucleus elastic scattering observables. In this contribution the main ingredients for arriving at the ab initio leading order of the effective nucleon-nucleus interaction in the Watson approach will be reviewed. Concentrating on one specific chiral NN interaction from the LENPIC collaboration and light nuclei with a 0+ ground state, the leading order nucleon-nucleus interaction is calculated using up to the third chiral order (N2LO) in the nucleon-nucleon potential, and elastic scattering observables are extracted. Then pointwise as well as correlated uncertainty quantification is used for the estimation of the chiral truncation error. Elastic scattering observables for 4He, 12C, and 16O for between 65 and 200 MeV projectile energy will be analyzed.

Ab initio nucleon-nucleus elastic scattering with chiral effective field theory uncertainties

Background: Effective interactions for nucleon-nucleus elastic scattering from first principles require the use of the same nucleon-nucleon interaction in the structure and reaction calculations and a consistent treatment of the relevant operators at each order.Purpose: Systematic investigations of the effect of truncation uncertainties of chiral nucleon-nucleon ($NN$) forces have been carried out for scattering observables in the two- and three-nucleons system as well as for bound-state properties of light nuclei. Here we extend this type of study to proton and neutron elastic scattering for $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ and $^{12}\mathrm{C}$.Methods: Using the frameworks of the spectator expansion of multiple scattering theory as well as the no-core shell model, we employ one specific chiral interaction from the LENPIC collaboration and consistently calculate the leading-order effective nucleon-nucleus interaction up to the third chiral order, from which we extract elastic scattering observables. Then we apply pointwise as well as correlated uncertainty quantification for the estimation of the chiral truncation error.Results: We calculate and analyze proton elastic scattering observables for $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ and $^{12}\mathrm{C}$ as well as neutron elastic scattering observables for $^{12}\mathrm{C}$ between 65 and 185 MeV projectile kinetic energy. We find in all cases qualitatively similar results for the chiral truncation uncertainties as in few-body systems and assess them using similar diagnostic tools. The order-by-order convergence of the scattering observables for $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ and $^{12}\mathrm{C}$ is very reasonable around 100 MeV, while for higher energies the chiral expansion parameter becomes too large for convergence. Comparing proton and neutron differential cross sections reveals that their description is comparable up to around 100 MeV. We also find a nearly perfect correlation between the differential cross section for neutron scattering and the $NN$ Wolfenstein amplitudes for small momentum transfers.Conclusions: The diagnostic tools for studying order-by-order convergence in observables in few-body systems can be employed for observables in nucleon-nucleus scattering with only minor modifications provided the momentum scale in the problems is not too large. We also find that the chiral $NN$ interaction on which our study is based gives a very good description of differential cross sections for $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ and $^{12}\mathrm{C}$ as low as 65-MeV projectile energy, particularly in the forward direction. In addition, the very forward direction of the neutron differential cross section mirrors the behavior of the $NN$ interaction amazingly well.

Reaction channel contributions to the proton +Pb208 optical potential at 40 MeV

Background: Reaction channel coupling substantially modifies the real and imaginary nucleon-nucleus interactions for nuclei of $Z=20$ or less in ways that cannot be represented as uniform renormalizations of folding model potentials. For such nuclei coupling to inelastic channels also contributes. This raises the question of the effect of these couplings for heavier target nuclei.Purpose: To establish and characterize the contribution to the proton-nucleus interaction generated by coupling to neutron pickup (outgoing deuteron) channels for 40 MeV protons on the heavy closed shell nucleus $^{208}\mathrm{Pb}$. To identify and evaluate the consequent dynamical non-locality.Methods: Coupled reaction channel (CRC) calculations provide the elastic channel $S$-matrix ${S}_{lj}$ due to the included processes. Inversion of ${S}_{lj}$ will produce the local potential that would yield, in a single channel calculation, the elastic scattering observables from the CRC calculation. Subtracting the bare potential of the CRC calculations gives a local and $l$-independent representation of the dynamical polarization potential (DPP). From the DPPs due to various combinations of channel couplings, the influence of dynamically generated nonlocality can be identified.Results: Coupling to deuteron channels generates a repulsive component for the real potential and an absorptive component for the imaginary term. The radial shapes of both terms were modified in ways that could not be represented by uniform renormalization; the rms radius of the real part was substantially altered. Evidence of the dynamical nonlocality of the DPP due to pickup is provided by the nonadditivity of contributions of different couplings and other effects. For the doubly closed shell $^{208}\mathrm{Pb}$ coupling to low-lying (nongiant) collective states has a very small effect on elastic scattering, making a negligible contribution compared with pickup, and was not included.Conclusions: The DPPs established here strongly challenge the notion that folding models, in particular local density models, provide a satisfactory description of elastic scattering of protons from heavy nuclei. Coupling to neutron pickup channels induces dynamical nonlocality in the proton optical model potential with implications for direct reactions.

Efficacy of the symmetry-adapted basis for ab initio nucleon-nucleus interactions for light- and intermediate-mass nuclei

We study the efficacy of a new ab initio framework that combines the symmetry-adapted (SA) no-core shell-model approach with the resonating group method (RGM) for unified descriptions of nuclear structure and reactions. We obtain ab initio neutron-nucleus interactions for 4He, 16O, and 20Ne targets, starting with realistic nucleon-nucleon potentials. We discuss the effect of increasing model space sizes and symmetry-based selections on the SA-RGM norm and direct potential kernels, as well as on phase shifts, which are the input to calculations of cross sections. We demonstrate the efficacy of the SA basis and its scalability with particle numbers and model space dimensions, with a view toward ab initio descriptions of nucleon scattering and capture reactions up through the medium-mass region.

Nuclear Dynamics and Reactions in the Ab Initio Symmetry-Adapted Framework

We review the ab initio symmetry-adapted (SA) framework for determining the structure of stable and unstable nuclei, along with related electroweak, decay, and reaction processes. This framework utilizes the dominant symmetry of nuclear dynamics, the shape-related symplectic [Formula: see text] symmetry, which has been shown to emerge from first principles and to expose dominant degrees of freedom that are collective in nature, even in the lightest species or seemingly spherical states. This feature is illustrated for a broad scope of nuclei ranging from helium to titanium isotopes, enabled by recent developments of the ab initio SA no-core shell model expanded to the continuum through the use of the SA basis and that of the resonating group method. The review focuses on energies, electromagnetic transitions, quadrupole and magnetic moments, radii, form factors, and response function moments for ground-state rotational bands and giant resonances. The method also determines the structure of reaction fragments that is used to calculate decay widths and α-capture reactions for simulated X-ray burst abundance patterns, as well as nucleon–nucleus interactions for cross sections and other reaction observables.

Nuclear spin features relevant to ab initio nucleon-nucleus elastic scattering

Background: Effective interactions for elastic nucleon-nucleus scattering from first principles require the use of the same nucleon-nucleon interaction in the structure and reaction calculations, as well as a consistent treatment of the relevant operators at each order. Purpose: Previous work using these interactions has shown good agreement with available data. Here, we study the physical relevance of one of these operators, which involves the spin of the struck nucleon, and examine the interpretation of this quantity in a nuclear structure context. Methods: Using the framework of the spectator expansion and the underlying framework of the no-core shell model, we calculate and examine spin-projected, one-body momentum distributions required for effective nucleon-nucleus interactions in $J=0$ nuclear states. Results: The calculated spin-projected, one-body momentum distributions for $^4$He, $^6$He, and $^8$He display characteristic behavior based on the occupation of protons and neutrons in single particle levels, with more nucleons of one type yielding momentum distributions with larger values. Additionally, we find this quantity is strongly correlated to the magnetic moment of the $2^+$ excited state in the ground state rotational band for each nucleus considered. Conclusions: We find that spin-projected, one-body momentum distributions can probe the spin content of a $J=0$ wave function. This feature may allow future \textit{ab initio} nucleon-nucleus scattering studies to inform spin properties of the underlying nucleon-nucleon interactions. The observed correlation to the magnetic moment of excited states illustrates a previously unknown connection between reaction observables such as the analyzing power and structure observables like the magnetic moment.

Calculation of asymptotic normalization coefficients in the complex-ranged Gaussian basis

A new technique towards finding asymptotic normalization coefficients in the complex-ranged Gaussian basis is presented. It is shown that a diagonalisation procedure for the total Hamiltonian matrix in the given basis results in approximation for a radial part of the bound state wave function from the origin up to the far asymptotic distances, which allows to extract ANCs rather accurately. The method is illustrated by calculations of single-particle ANCs for nuclei bound states in cases of non-local nucleon-nucleus interactions, in particular, phenomenological global potentials with the Perey-Buck’s non-locality.

Observation of a Significant Flow of Neutral Galactic Particles in the Stratosphere at Energies in the Range of 1013–1015 eV

A reanalysis of experimental data from the RUssia-Nippon JOint Balloon (RUNJOB) emulsion experiment on the basis of a new method aimed at searches for primary galactic particles in events identified as those of nucleon-nucleus interaction confirmed the original result that consisted in the absence of a large number (about 50%) of tracks of incident particles. A comparative analysis of such events where there is a detected primary track and where there is no primary track was performed in terms of the energy, angular distribution, and depth of penetration into x-ray emulsion chambers (XREC). The hypothesis that a neutral component is present in cosmic rays at the XREC exposure level is discussed.

Reaction channel coupling effects for nucleons on O16 : Induced undularity and proton-neutron potential differences

Background: Precise fitting of scattering observables suggests that the nucleon-nucleus interaction is $l$ dependent. Such $l$ dependence has been shown to be $S$-matrix equivalent to an undulatory $l$-independent potential. The undulations include radial regions where the imaginary term is emissive.Purpose: To study the dynamical polarization potential (DPP) generated in proton-$^{16}\mathrm{O}$ and neutron-$^{16}\mathrm{O}$ interaction potentials by coupling to pickup channels. Undulatory features occurring in these DPPs can be compared with corresponding features of empirical optical model potentials (OMPs). Furthermore, the additional inclusion of coupling to vibrational states of the target will provide evidence for dynamically generated nonlocality.Methods: The fresco code provides the elastic channel $S$-matrix ${S}_{lj}$ for chosen channel couplings. Inversion, ${S}_{lj}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}V(r)+\mathbf{l}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}\mathbf{s}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{V}_{\mathrm{SO}}(r)$, followed by subtraction of the bare potential, yields an $l$-independent and local representation of the DPP due to the chosen couplings.Results: The DPPs have strongly undulatory features, including radial regions of emissivity. Certain features of empirical DPPs appear, e.g., the full inverted potential has emissive regions. The DPPs for different collective states are additive except near the nuclear center, whereas the collective and reaction channel DPPs are distinctly nonadditive over a considerable radial range, indicating dynamical nonlocality. Substantial differences between the DPPs due to pickup coupling for protons and neutrons occur; these imply a greater difference between proton and neutron OMPs than the standard phenomenological prescription.Conclusions: The onus is on those who object to undularity in the local and $l$-independent representation of nucleon elastic scattering to show why such undulations do not occur. This work suggests that it is not legitimate to halt model-independent fits to high-quality data at the appearance of undularity.

Nonlocal nucleon-nucleus interactions in (d,p) reactions: Role of the deuteron D state

Theoretical models of the (d,p) reaction are exploited for both nuclear astrophysics and spectroscopic studies in nuclear physics. Usually, these reaction models use local optical model potentials to describe the nucleon- and deuteron-target interactions. Within such a framework the importance of the deuteron D-state in low-energy reactions is normally associated with spin observables and tensor polarization effects - with very minimal influence on differential cross sections. In contrast, recent work that includes the inherent nonlocality of the nucleon optical model potentials in the Johnson-Tandy adiabatic-model description of the (d,p) transition amplitude, which accounts for deuteron break-up effects, shows sensitivity of the reaction to the large n-p relative momentum content of the deuteron wave function. The dominance of the deuteron D-state component at such high momenta leads to significant sensitivity of calculated (d,p) cross sections and deduced spectroscopic factors to the choice of deuteron wave function [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 117}, 162502 (2016)]. We present details of the Johnson-Tandy adiabatic model of the (d,p) transfer reaction generalized to include the deuteron D-state in the presence of nonlocal nucleon-target interactions. We present exact calculations in this model and compare these to approximate (leading-order) solutions. The latter, approximate solutions can be interpreted in terms of local optical potentials, but evaluated at a shifted value of the energy in the nucleon-target system. This energy shift is increased when including the D-state contribution. We also study the expected dependence of the D-state effects on the separation energy and orbital angular momentum of the transferred nucleon. Their influence on the spectroscopic information extracted from (d,p) reactions is quantified for a particular case of astrophysical significance.

The search for primary particle tracks in nucleon-nucleus interactions with gamma ray energy ΣEγ≥ 3 TeV registered in stratospheric X-ray emulsion chambers using data of the RUNJOB experiment

The search for primary particle tracks in nucleon-nucleus interactions with gamma ray energy Σ<i>E</i>_γ≥ 3 TeV registered in stratospheric X-ray emulsion chambers using data of the RUNJOB experiment

The search for primary particle tracks in nucleon-nucleus interactions with gamma ray energy ΣEγ ≥ 3 TeV registered in stratospheric X-ray emulsion chambers using data of the RUNJOB experiment

We present here the result of a retreatment of data from the RUNJOB (RUssia-Nippon JOint Balloon) experiment of nucleon-nucleus interactions registered in stratospheric X-ray emulsion chambers (REC) using a new method for searching and tracing of galactic particles in nuclear emulsions. In about halfcof these interactions (∼ 50) recorded in REC RUNJOB‘96-3B, RUNJOB‘97-6A and RUNJOB‘99-11A,B with energy released in the electromagnetic component ΣE γ ≥ 3 TeV and ΣE γ ≥ 5 TeV respectively, single charged particle tracks are not found within the search area defined individually by the particle track location accuracy. The absence of primary proton tracks is consistent with the original treatment of the RUNJOB experimental data. There is a difference in the zenith angular distribution for two groups of events in which a single charged particle track is observed or absent. The average penetration depth of the primary particles in REC to the interaction vertex in the zenith angle range from 60∘ to 79∘ differs by a factor two for these groups.

Impact of PHITS spallation models on the neutronics design of an accelerator-driven system

ABSTRACTThe impact of different spallation models and parametrisation of nucleon–nucleus interactions in the particle transport code PHITS on the nuclear characteristics of an accelerator-driven system (ADS) is investigated. Cut-off neutrons below 20 MeV calculated using the default option of the current spallation model (i.e. Liège intranuclear cascade (INC) model version 4.6, INCL4.6) are found to be 14% less than those calculated by the old spallation model (i.e. Bertini INC model). This decrease increases the proton beam current that drives the 800-MW thermal power and impacts various ADS parameters, including material damage, nuclear heating of the proton beam windowand the inventory of spallation products. To validate these options based on the ADS neutronics design, we conduct benchmark calculations of the total and non-elastic cross sections, thick target neutron yields and activation reaction rate distributions. The results suggest that Pearlstein–Niita systematics, which is a default option of the nucleon–nucleus interaction parametrisation, would be the best option and that Bertini INC is better suited for cut-off neutrons than INCL4.6. However, because of the difficulty in making a definite conclusion on the spallation models, we conclude that relatively large uncertainty in the cut-off neutrons, which is the difference between the two spallation models (i.e. 14%), should be considered.

GEANT4 simulations of the n_TOF spallation source and their benchmarking

Neutron production and transport in the spallation target of the n_TOF facility at CERN has been simulated with GEANT4. The results obtained with different models of high-energy nucleon-nucleus interaction have been compared with the measured characteristics of the neutron beam, in particular the flux and its dependence on neutron energy, measured in the first experimental area. The best agreement at present, within 20% for the absolute value of the flux, and within few percent for the energy dependence in the whole energy range from thermal to 1 GeV, is obtained with the INCL++ model coupled with the GEANT4 native de-excitation model. All other available models overestimate by a larger factor, of up to 70%, the n_TOF neutron flux. The simulations are also able to accurately reproduce the neutron beam energy resolution function, which is essentially determined by the moderation time inside the target/moderator assembly. The results here reported provide confidence on the use of GEANT4 for simulations of spallation neutron sources.

A collective coupled-channel model and mirror state energy displacements

The spectra of nucleon-nucleus mirror systems allow examination of charge symmetry breaking in nucleon-nucleus interactions. To date, such examination has been performed with studies using microscopic models of structure. Herein we seek characterisation with a coupled-channel model in which the nucleon-nucleus interactions are described using a collective model prescription with the Pauli principle taken into account. The neutron-nucleus Hamiltonian is chosen to give the best match to the compound system spectrum, with emphasis on finding the correct ground state energy relative to the neutron-nucleus threshold. The Coulomb interactions for the proton-nucleus partner of a mirror pair are determined using charge distributions that match the root-mean-square charge radii of the nuclei in question. With the Coulomb interaction so defined modifying the neutron-nucleus Hamiltonian, we then predict a spectrum for the relevant proton-nucleus compound. Discrepancies in that resulting spectrum with measured values we tentatively ascribe to charge-symmetry breaking effects. We consider spectra obtained in this way for the mirror pairs 13C and 13N, 15C and 15F, and 15O and 15N, all to ∼ 10 MeV excitation.

Neutrino-pair bremsstrahlung from nucleon-αversus nucleon-nucleon scattering

We study the impact of the nucleon-$\alpha$ P-wave resonances on neutrino-pair bremsstrahlung. Because of the non-central spin-orbit interaction, these resonances lead to an enhanced contribution to the nucleon spin structure factor for temperatures $T \lesssim 4$ MeV. If the $\alpha$-particle fraction is significant and the temperature is in this range, this contribution is competitive with neutron-neutron bremsstrahlung. This may be relevant for neutrino production in core-collapse supernovae or other dense astrophysical environments. Similar enhancements are expected for resonant non-central nucleon-nucleus interactions.

Dynamic polarization potential and dynamical nonlocality in nuclear potentials: Nucleon-nucleus potential

Background: Of the two sources of nonlocality in nucleon-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus interactions, knock-on exchange and dynamically generated, almost all papers referring to nonlocality mention only the first.Purpose: Our purpose is threefold: to demonstrate a method for including dynamical nonlocality, for which a simple prescription (like the Perey factor for exchange nonlocality) is unknown, within distorted wave Born approximation (DWBA) calculations; to identify signatures of dynamic nonlocality and illuminate the extent to which the presence of such nonlocality can influence the extraction of spectroscopic information from direct reactions, and more generally, to increase our understanding of nucleus-nucleus interactions.Methods: After reviewing existing indications of dynamically induced nonlocality, DWBA transfer calculations are presented which compare results involving dynamically nonlocal potentials with those involving their local equivalents. The dynamical nonlocal potentials are generated in situ by the presence of channel coupling and the local equivalents are generated by inversion of the corresponding coupled channel elastic $S$ matrix. This method obviates the need for solving integro-differential equations for including nonlocal potentials in DWBA.Results: The coupling of nucleons to collective states of the target nucleus induces dynamical nonlocality in the nucleon-nucleus interaction that has a significant effect on $(p,d)$ reactions at energies relevant to spectroscopic studies.Conclusions: A method for studying the contribution of dynamically induced nonlocality in nuclear interactions has been demonstrated. Dynamically induced nonlocality should not be overlooked in the analysis of direct reactions. The method can also be applied to dynamic nonlocality due to projectile excitation.

Nonlocality in deuteron stripping reactions.

We propose a new method for the analysis of deuteron stripping reactions, A(d,p)B, in which the nonlocality of nucleon-nucleus interactions and three-body degrees of freedom are accounted for in a consistent way. The model deals with equivalent local nucleon potentials taken at an energy shifted by ∼40 MeV from the "E(d)/2" value frequently used in the analysis of experimental data, where E(d) is the incident deuteron energy. The "E(d)/2" rule lies at the heart of all three-body analyses of (d, p) reactions performed so far with the aim of obtaining nuclear structure properties such as spectroscopic factors and asymptotic normalization coefficients that are crucial for our understanding of nuclear shell evolution in neutron- and proton-rich regions of the nuclear periodic table and for predicting the cross sections of stellar reactions. The large predicted shift arises from the large relative kinetic energy of the neutron and proton in the incident deuteron in those components of the n+p+A wave function that dominate the (d, p) reaction amplitude. The large shift reduces the effective d-A potentials and leads to a change in predicted (d, p) cross sections, thus affecting the interpretation of these reactions in terms of nuclear structure.