Predicting nucleon-nucleus scattering observables using nuclear structure theory

¹ Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
² Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, USA
³ CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon, France and Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, France
⁴ Laboratoire Matière sous Conditions Extrêmes, 91680 Bruyères-Le-Châtel, France

^* e-mail: aaina1@llnl.gov

Published online: 14 March 2024

Abstract

Developing a predictive capability for inelastic scattering will find applications in multiple areas. Experimental data for neutron-nucleus inelastic scattering is limited and thus one needs a robust theoretical framework to complement it. Charged-particle inelastic scattering can be used as a surrogate for (n, γ) reactions to predict capture cross sections for unstable nuclei. Our work uses microscopic nuclear structure calculations for spherical nuclei to obtain nucleon-nucleus scattering potentials and calculate cross sections for these processes. We implement the Jeukenne, Lejeune, Mahaux (JLM) semi-microscopic folding approach, where the medium effects on nuclear interaction are parameterized in nuclear matter to obtain the nucleon-nucleon (NN) interaction in a medium at positive energies. We solve for the nuclear ground state using the Hartree-Fock-Bogliubov (HFB) many-body method, assuming the nucleons within the nucleus interact via the Gogny-D1M potential. The vibrational excited states of the target nucleus are calculated using the quasi-particle random phase approximation (QRPA). We demonstrate our approach for spherical nuclei in the medium-mass region, showing scattering results for the ⁹⁰Zr nucleus.