9Be scattering with microscopic wave functions and the CDCC method

TL;DR

This paper employs microscopic wave functions and the CDCC method to accurately compute 9Be scattering cross sections, demonstrating the importance of breakup effects and the advantage of parameter-free calculations.

Contribution

It introduces a microscopic approach using multicluster wave functions within the CDCC framework for 9Be scattering, avoiding adjustable parameters and aligning well with experimental data.

Findings

Breakup effects are significant for heavy targets.

Microscopic wave functions yield good experimental agreement.

No adjustable parameters are needed in the model.

Abstract

We use microscopic 9Be wave functions defined in a alpha+alpha+n multicluster model to compute 9Be+target scattering cross sections. The parameter sets describing 9Be are generated in the spirit of the Stochastic Variational Method (SVM), and the optimal solution is obtained by superposing Slater determinants and by diagonalizing the Hamiltonian. The 9Be three-body continuum is approximated by square-integral wave functions. The 9Be microscopic wave functions are then used in a Continuum Discretized Coupled Channel (CDCC) calculation of 9Be+208Pb and of 9Be+27Al elastic scattering. Without any parameter fitting, we obtain a fair agreement with experiment. For a heavy target, the influence of 9Be breakup is important, while it is weaker for light targets. This result confirms previous non-microscopic CDCC calculations. One of the main advantages of the microscopic CDCC is that it is based on nucleon-target interactions only; there is no adjustable parameter. The present work represents a first step towards more ambitious calculations involving heavier Be isotopes.