Optical model methods of predicting nuclide production from spallation reactions

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Physics
• Quantum Mechanics
• High-Energy Physics

Background:

• Calculating isotope production cross sections is crucial for understanding nuclear reactions.
• Spallation of heavy nuclei by high-energy protons is a key process in nuclear physics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop quantum mechanical optical model methods for calculating isotope production cross sections.
• To improve the accuracy of theoretical predictions for spallation reactions.

Main Methods:

• Modified abrasion-ablation collision formalism.
• Quantum mechanical treatment of the abrasion step as a knockout process.
• Estimation of prefragment excitation energies using liquid drop and frictional-spectator models.

Main Results:

• Developed a theoretical framework for calculating isotope production cross sections.
• Achieved good agreement between estimated and measured elemental and isotopic production cross sections.
• Validated the model against recent experimental measurements.

Conclusions:

• The developed quantum mechanical optical model methods provide accurate predictions for isotope production cross sections.
• The modified abrasion-ablation formalism is effective for modeling heavy nucleus spallation.
• The study contributes to a better understanding of nuclear reaction mechanisms and yields.