The neutron within the deuteron as a surrogate for neutron-induced reactions

Abstract

We propose the use of neutron poisons in reactions induced by radioactive beams as a test of theoretical models aiming to relate neutron capture in nuclei with neutron surrogate reactions such as (d,p) reactions. We exploit the approximations necessary to obtain a direct relation between the two reactions; surrogate vs. neutron capture. We also show how this is intimately related to the momentum distribution of the neutron within the deuteron. The models we use are based on the theory of inclusive breakup reactions commonly employed in the treatment of incomplete fusion and surrogate method. Such theories were developed in the 80's by Ichimura, Autern and Vincent [Phys. Rev. C 32, 431 (1985)], Udagawa and Tamura [Phys. Rev. C 24, 1348Rev. C 24, (1981] and Hussein and McVoy [Nucl. Phys. A 445, 124 (1985)]. We use these theories to derive an expression for the proton yield in the reaction A(d,p)B. The capture reaction n + A → B is then extracted using reasonable approximations. By recalling an old method proposed by Serber [Phys. Rev. 80, 1098 Nature 166, 709 (1950)] we explain how the momentum distribution of neutrons within the deuteron will depend on the short-range dependence of the nucleon-nucleon force. The relevance of our work to nucleosynthesis in the rapid neutron capture process is emphasized.

Neutron Capture Cross Sections of Radioactive Nuclei

“…As shown in Ref. [24], if one additionally assumes that the three-body distorted waves χ i depend only on the relative coordinates between the fragment and the target, the cross section in (2) can be further decomposed into:…”

“…This formalism was the starting point of an analysis performed in Ref. [24]. To study reactions involving the deuteron as a projectile and neutron poisons, such as 135 Xe as a target or vice versa.…”

“…In this article, we also discuss the use of the INEB theory to study the case of breakup reactions of a radioactive projectile on a deuteron target, including a further extension of the method employed in Ref. [24]. The INEB theory can be easily applied to the case of a long-lived radioactive target, such as 135 Xe.…”

“…Furthermore, our multi-cluster discussion should constitute an important extension of the four-body formulation involving a three-fragment projectile on a "structureless" target developed recently in Refs. [24,27] to two-fragment on two-fragment nuclear reactions [3]. It would be more convenient to use 10 B as a target as it is stable.…”

$${}^{5}$$He($${}^{3}$$He,$${}^{4}$$He)$${}^{4}$$He as a three-body reaction via a continuum resonance in the n+$${}^{4}$$He system

“…The study of nuclear reactions was one of the most prominent topics in the work of Mahir S. Hussein where he made seminal contributions to the theoretical description of various processes. In recent years, he was interested in particular in three-and four-body systems, partly connected to applications in astrophysics or to halo nuclei, see, e.g., [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8].…”