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Title: Correlation effects in the relativistic impulse approximation treatment of proton nucleus elastic scattering

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:6314513

Target nucleon correlation contributions to intermediate energy proton-nucleus elastic scattering observables are explored within the context of a semi-relativistic multiple scattering model. A general, non-local expression for this second order relativistic optical potential model is derived and discussed. Use is made of the local, projectile-target nucleon interaction given by the relativistic impulse approximation together with a shell model target nucleus wave function represented in a suitable, four-component form. For this initial investigation a simplified model is then assumed in which only the scalar and time-like vector components of the projectile nucleon interaction are retained and in which the lower components of the target wave function are omitted. Intermediate propagation of positive and negative energy projectile states are included as are important non-localities arising from the Dirac propagator for the projectile. Numerical estimates are provided for several cases of interest. Results indicate that the semi-relativistic impulse approximation model considered here is stable with respect to higher order multiple scattering contributions, at least to the level of two-body target nucleon correlations. The erroneous target mass dependence of the first order relativistic impulse approximation model is not corrected by these effects however. An alternative model is also presented.

Research Organization:
Texas Univ., Austin (USA)
OSTI ID:
6314513
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English