Probing elastic and inelastic breakup contributions to intermediate-energy two-proton removal reactions

TL;DR

This study investigates the mechanisms of two-proton removal from 28Mg at intermediate energy, distinguishing elastic and inelastic breakup contributions through exclusive measurements, and compares results with theoretical models for nuclear spectroscopy applications.

Contribution

It provides the first coincidence measurements of various proton removal mechanisms at intermediate energy, enabling detailed comparison with reaction models.

Findings

Measured relative cross sections for different removal mechanisms

Compared experimental yields with eikonal model predictions

Enhanced understanding of reaction channels for neutron-rich nuclei

Abstract

The two-proton removal reaction from 28Mg projectiles has been studied at 93 MeV/u at the NSCL. First coincidence measurements of the heavy 26Ne projectile residues, the removed protons and other light charged particles enabled the relative cross sections from each of the three possible elastic and inelastic proton removal mechanisms to be determined. These more final-state-exclusive measurements are key for further interrogation of these reaction mechanisms and use of the reaction channel for quantitative spectroscopy of very neutron-rich nuclei. The relative and absolute yields of the three contributing mechanisms are compared to reaction model expectations - based on the use of eikonal dynamics and sd-shell-model structure amplitudes.