Differential Cross Sections for the Production of Protons in the Reactions of ∼160-MeV Protons on Nuclei

Abstract

Cross sections differential in both angle and energy were obtained by flight-time spectrometry for secondary protons above 20 MeV from 158-MeV protons on Be, C, ${\mathrm{H}}_2$O, Al, Co, and Bi targets. Enough angles were studied to present rough angular distributions from aluminum and cobalt. All secondary charged particles were assumed to be protons, for which the energy resolution varied from 25 to 50%. The observed differential cross sections change smoothly with angle and target mass, and show no peak corresponding to quasifree scattering near the energy corresponding to free nucleon-nucleon scattering. The measurements are compared with others available at the same incident energy and with estimates based on intranuclear-cascade-plus-evaporation calculations. The observed cross sections are larger than the estimated ones at angles of 90° and 120°, and at low energies for angles more forward than 45°. At 60°, the observed cross sections are in accord with the Monte Carlo estimates.