Proton-deuteron radiative capture cross sections at intermediate energies

TL;DR

This paper reports measurements of proton-deuteron radiative capture cross sections at intermediate energies, comparing experimental data with theoretical models to evaluate their accuracy and identify discrepancies.

Contribution

It provides new experimental cross section data at specific energies and assesses the performance of modern theoretical calculations including meson-exchange currents and multi-nucleon forces.

Findings

Data favor a specific theoretical model but do not fully match angular distribution shapes.

Experimental setup measured outgoing helium and photons simultaneously.

Results highlight the need for improved theoretical descriptions.

Abstract

Differential cross sections of the reaction $p(d,^3{\rm He})\gamma$ have been measured at deuteron laboratory energies of 110, 133 and 180 MeV. The data were obtained with a coincidence setup measuring both the outgoing $^3$He and the photon. The data are compared with modern calculations including all possible meson-exchange currents and two- and three- nucleon forces in the potential. The data clearly show a preference for one of the models, although the shape of the angular distribution cannot be reproduced by any of the presented models.