Fractional calculus within the optical model used in nuclear and particle physics

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel approach using fractional calculus to improve the optical model in nuclear physics, enabling a more accurate description of the energy-dependent transition from surface to volume absorption.

Contribution

It proposes a fractional calculus-based method to model the absorption potential, addressing weaknesses of the classic approach in describing energy-dependent surface to volume transitions.

Findings

Fractional calculus provides a smooth transition modeling.

Improved description of absorption processes at varying energies.

Addresses limitations of traditional optical model potentials.

Abstract

The optical model is a fundamental tool to describe scattering processes in nuclear physics. The basic input is an optical model potential, which describes the refraction and absorption processes more or less schematically. Of special interest is the form of the absorption potential. With increasing energy of the incident projectile, a derivation of this potential must take into account the observed energy dependent transition from surface to volume type. The classic approach has weaknesses in this regard. We will discuss these deficiencies and will propose an alternative method based on concepts developed within the framework of fractional calculus, which allows to describe a smooth transition from surface to volume absorption in an appropriate way.