Skin values of $^{208}$Pb and $^{48}$Ca determined from reaction cross sections (published in Results in Physics)

TL;DR

This study uses a folding model with scattering data to accurately determine the neutron skin thickness of lead-208 and calcium-48, confirming consistency with recent experimental results.

Contribution

It introduces a method combining the Love-Franey folding model with neutron and proton densities to determine neutron skin thickness from reaction cross sections.

Findings

Neutron skin of $^{208}$Pb is $0.324 ext{ fm}$ with uncertainties.

Neutron skin of $^{48}$Ca is $0.144 ext{ fm}$ with uncertainties.

Results are consistent with PREX2 and CREX experimental values.

Abstract

The PREX and the CREX group reported their skin values. Using the Love-Franey (LF) $t$-matrix folding model with the neutron and proton densities scaled to the neutron radius $r_{\rm n}^{208}({\rm PREX2})$ and the proton radius of the electron scattering, we found that the model reproduces $\sigma_R$ for p+ $^{208}$Pb scattering at $E_{\rm lab} = 534.1, 549, 806$MeV. Zenihiro {\it el al. } deduce neutron radii $r_{\rm n}^{48,40}({\rm exp})$ from proton elastic scattering, whereas we determine $r_{\rm m}^{\rm 40}({\rm exp})=3.361 \pm 0.075$fm from measured $\sigma_R$ for $^{4}$He+ $^{40}$Ca scattering. Our first aim is to determine $r_{\rm skin}^{\rm 208}$ from measured $\sigma_R$ of p+$^{208}$Pb scattering at $E_{\rm lab} = 534.1, 549, 806$MeV by using the LF $t$-matrix folding model. Our second aim is to determine $r_{\rm skin}^{\rm 48}$ from the $r_{\rm m}^{\rm 40}({\rm exp})$ and $\Delta \equiv r_{\rm m}^{\rm 48}({\rm exp})-r_{\rm m}^{\rm 40}({\rm exp})$ that is evaluated from the $r_{\rm n}^{48,40}({\rm exp})$ and the $r_{\rm p}^{48,40}({\rm exp})$ calculated with the isotope shift method based on the electron scattering. For the first aim, we use the LF $t$-matrix model with the densities scaled from the D1S-GHFB+AMP neutron density. The D1M-GHFB+AMP is used to estimate a theoretical error. The resulting skin values are $r_{\rm skin}^{\rm 208}= 0.324 \pm 0.047$fm for D1S and $r_{\rm skin}^{\rm 208}({\rm exp})=0.333 \pm 0.047 $fm for D1M. The $\Delta=0.109$fm and $r_{\rm m}^{\rm 40}({\rm exp})=3.361 \pm 0.075$fm yield $r_{\rm m}^{\rm 48}=3.470 \pm 0.075$fm, leading to $r_{\rm skin}^{\rm 48}=0.144 \pm 0.075$fm. We conclude that $r_{\rm skin}^{208}({\rm exp})=0.324 \pm (0.047)_{\rm exp} \pm (0.009)_{\rm th}~{\rm fm}$ for p scattering at $E_{\rm lab} = 534.1, 549, 806$MeV. Our skin values are consistent with the PREX2 and CREX values.