Evidence for a dynamically refracted primary bow in weakly bound $^9$Be rainbow scattering from $^{16}$O

TL;DR

This study provides the first evidence of a dynamically refracted primary bow in weakly bound $^9$Be+$^{16}$O scattering, showing how coupling to excited states enhances refraction beyond static potential effects.

Contribution

It introduces coupled channel calculations with an extended double folding potential to demonstrate dynamic refraction in weakly bound nuclear scattering.

Findings

Reproduces experimental Airy structure accurately

Shows coupling to excited states enhances refraction

Provides evidence for a dynamically refracted primary bow

Abstract

We present for the first time evidence for the existence of a dynamically refracted primary bow for $^{9}$Be+$^{16}$O scattering. This is demonstrated through the use of coupled channel calculations with an extended double folding potential derived from the density-dependent effective two-body force and precise microscopic cluster wave functions for $^{9}$Be. The calculations reproduce the experimental Airy structure in $^{9}$Be+$^{16}$O scattering well.It is found that coupling of a weakly bound $^{9}$Be nucleus to excited states plays the role of a booster lens, dynamically enhancing the refraction over the {\it static} refraction due to the Luneburg lens mean field potential between the ground states of $^{9}$Be and $^{16}$O.