An analysis of the reactions induced in complex nuclei by nucleons with energies between 10 and 20 MeV

Abstract

Calculations have been made of the absolute values of the cross sections for processes of the type which have been induced by nucleons with energies between 10 and 20 MeV. It has been assumed that the target nucleus may be represented as a Fermi gas of nucleons, and that the nuclear processes proceed by direct interactions between the incident particle and the target nucleons, followed by the de-excitation of the nucleus; the ejection of a particle can occur during either process. Comparisons between the calculated and experimental data for the total cross sections, energy spectra and angular distributions of the emitted particles, indicate satisfactory overall agreement except for the process _Z N ^A (p, p′)_ZN ^A . Empirical evidence is cited, which indicates differences in the level densities of the excited states of even-even, even-odd and odd-odd nuclei.