Physics

Scattering amplitude

Scattering theory

Inelastic scattering

S-matrix

Atomic physics

Nucleon

Quantum number

Scattering

Elastic scattering

Scattering length

Quantum mechanics

Observable

Physical review. C

Background: In recent years, we constructed a microscopic optical potential (OP) for elastic nucleon-nucleus (NA) scattering using modern approaches based on chiral theories for the nucleon-nucleon (NN) interaction. The OP was derived at first order of the spectator expansion in Watson multiple scattering theory and its final expression was a folding integral between the NN $t$ matrix and the nuclear density of the target. Two- and three-body forces are consistently included both in the target and in the projectile description.Purpose: The purpose of this work is to apply our microscopic OP to nuclei characterized by a ground state of spin-parity quantum numbers ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}\ensuremath{\ne}{0}^{+}$.Methods: We extended our formalism to include the spin of the target nucleus. The full amplitudes of the NN reaction matrix are retained in the calculations starting from two- and three-body chiral forces.Results: The microscopic OP can be applied in the energy range $100\ensuremath{\le}E\ensuremath{\le}350$ MeV. We show a remarkable agreement with experimental data for the available observables and, simultaneously, provide reliable estimates for the theoretical uncertainties.Conclusions: This work paves the way toward a full microscopic approach to inelastic NA scattering, showing that the derivation of optical potentials between states with ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}\ensuremath{\ne}{0}^{+}$ is completely under control.

Elastic proton scattering off nonzero spin nuclei