Comparison of the Scattering of Positrons and Electrons from Nuclear Charge Distributions

Abstract

Elastic scattering cross sections of 183-Mev positrons and electrons are calculated for various charge distributions of the Ca and Au nuclei. It is shown that the combined use of positron and electron scattering measurements can lead to a determination of the nuclear charge distribution which is more accurate than that derived from either one of the scattering cross sections when used by itself. The scattered particles obey Dirac's equation and the nuclei are assumed to be static spherically symmetric charge distributions, whose radial dependence is given in terms of a three-parameter family of curves.