Lecture 21

Nuclear Reactions contd

l--Wave
   2l  1)1  U 
reaction : 2 2 ……………………………………………….(21.1)
r ,l l

No reaction can occur unless at the same energy , there is also elastic scattering.

Proof:- If equation (21.1) is not Zero . The amplitude of the reflection factor

From equation (20.6)

  1U
2
U 1
l n ,l l

which means the elastic scattering cross section has a value other than zero.

The converse however is not true. That means all elastic scattering need not be coupled

with reactions since 1  U 

l
2
can be zero, when 1U l
2
is not zero.

Conclusion : All elastic scattering can occur in the absence of all reactions
The total cross section for the lth partial wave is the sum of  r ,l and  n ,l

   2l  11  U  1  U  …………………………………..(21.2)

2 2 2

T ,l l l

1  U  1  U   2  U  U  2  2 ReU
Now 2 2 ~ …………………..(21.3)
l l l l l

Calculation of Reflection Factors :

It is very important to know the reflection factor , whereby one can ultimately determine the cross
section. How to get the reflection factor ?

Essentially we have to solve Schrodinger equations.

At any radius outside the nuclear potential which extends from r=0 up to r=R.

We assume a spherically symmetric potential that means no θ or φ dependence.

So we solve only the radial Schrodinger equations

W (r )  C W   r   U W r  r  R
l l l

l l
 ……………………………………(21.4)

where W (r )  rR (r )
l

The functions
W (r ) l
  and
W   r 
l
 represent the incident and outgoing

wave for a free particle.

For a neutron we have the spherical Bessel Functions and the Neumann functions.

…………………….(21.5)
W (r )  krn kr   ij (kr )  A r   iB r 
l
 
l l l l

(21.6) W   (r )  krn kr   ij (kr )  A r   iB r 

l

l l l l
……………………

We now define the logarithm derivative as follows

  dW l  …………………….(21.7)

 dr 
D  R 
W
l

 l

  r R
The logarithmic derivative of the radial wave function at the nuclear boundary multiplied by R.

Actually realistic nuclear potentials do not have a sharp boundary. , but because some radius beyond

the nuclear potential is weak so it has negligible effect on the potential..

We now substitute Wl from equation (21.4) into (21.7) and solving for the reflection factor U l