Effects of nuclear spin on the elastic scattering of 5 MeV neutrons

Angular distributions have been measured for 5 MeV neutrons elastically scattered from Zr, Nb, Ag, Sb, Ce, Pr, Ta, Au, Tl, RadioPb, Th, and U. Corrections for multiple scattering and finite geometry were calculated using a Monte-Carlo program. The data have been fitted with a local potential optical model and compared with the predictions of a non-local potential model. There is evidence of distortions of the angular distributions attributable to nuclear deformations but there are no observable effects from interactions involving nuclear spins. The cross section for compound-elastic scattering appears to be negligibly small except for Tl and RadioPb.