Simple Approximation for Multistep Amplitudes

Abstract
A surface approximation to the multistep amplitude for direct reactions is presented. Within this approximation, the distorted-wave Born-approximation series is summed in closed form, and the result is tested by comparing with exact coupled-reaction-channels calculations for O17(p, d, p)O17 and O16(d, p, d)O16. The approximation gives a good representation of the exact results, especially for the O16(d, p, d)O16 process which is dominated by strong absorption of the deuteron.