Wave-packet discretization of a continuum: Path toward practically solving few-body scattering problems

A new method for discretizing a three-body continuum with the aid of the L ₂ basis of stationary wave packets is considered within the problem of three-body scattering. Substantial advantages of employing this basis in solving problems of few-body scattering are demonstrated. Specific applications of this approach are exemplified by exploring the problem of scattering of a composite particle on a heavy nucleus with allowance for the excitation of this particle to continuum states. This is done within two alternative approaches: a direct wave-packet discretization of a three-body continuum and a method that is based on the Feshbach projection formalism. It is shown explicitly that the resulting scattering amplitudes are convergent as the number of wave-packet states that are taken into account is increased. The results obtained here are compared with the results of other authors whose treatment was based on alternative methods for discretizing a continuum.     

Three-body model of deuteron breakup and stripping

For a three-body model Hamiltonian, the scattering eigenfunction that corresponds to an incident deuteron is expanded in terms of eigenfunctions of the neutron-proton relative Hamiltonian, as suggested by Johnson and Soper. In this expansion, breakup is represented by an integral over the continuum of neutron-proton scattering states. Only states of zero relative angular momentum are included; the validity and advantages of this approximation are discussed. The continuum is divided into five discrete channels, whose coupling to each other and to the deuteron channel is treated by solving coupled differential equations with appropriate boundary conditions. It is found necessary to use a simple WKB method to take account of the long-range coupling among breakup channels; this method introduces potential matrices W and S that describe local and derivative coupling of the channels. The reaction of breakup on the elastic channel is neglected.The properties of W and S and the breakup wavefunction are examined for the case of 22.9 MeV deuterons incident on a target of mass number A ≈ 40. The Coulomb interaction is ignored, and a local Gaussian shape is used for both the real and imaginary parts of the nucleon-nucleus optical potential.It is found that a rather broad spectrum of n-p continuum states is excited, especially for low center-of-mass angular momentum. This result weakens the justification for the Johnson-Soper adiabatic theory, which emphasizes breakup into states of low relative energy.The breakup part of the wavefunction at zero n-p separation is comparable with the elastic part, but is important only over a surprisingly short range in the center-of-mass coordinate, with the result that breakup cross sections are quite small. Nevertheless, breakup produces major modifications of (d, p) cross sections. These modifications can to some extent be simulated by the Johnson-Soper method. The breakup wavefunctions show several interesting effects in their dependence on angular momentum and radius.     

Asymptotic method for determining the amplitude for three-particle breakup: Neutron-deuteron scattering

The process of neutron-deuteron scattering at energies above the deuteron-breakup threshold is described within the three-body formalism of Faddeev equations. Use is made of the method of solving Faddeev equations in configuration space on the basis of expanding wave-function components in the asymptotic region in bases of eigenfunctions of specially chosen operators. Asymptotically, wave-function components are represented in the form of an expansion in an orthonormalized basis of functions depending on the hyperangle. This basis makes it possible to orthogonalize the contributions of elastic-scattering and breakup channels. The proposed method permits determining scattering and breakup parameters from the asymptotic representation of the wave function without reconstructing it over the entire configuration space. The scattering and breakup amplitudes for states of total spin S = 1/2 and 3/2 were obtained for the s-wave Faddeev equation.     

Coupling effects of resonant and discretized non-resonant continuum states in4He +6Li scattering at 10 MeV/A

Alpha- particle scattering from the resonant (3 ₁ ⁺ ) and non-resonant continuum states of⁶Li is studied at incident energy 10 MeV/A. Theα+d breakup continuum part within the excitation energyE _ex=1.475–2.475 MeV is discretized in two energy bins. Unlike the results at higher incident energies, here the coupled-channel calculations show significant breakup continuum coupling effects on the elastic and inelastic scattering. It is shown that even when the continuum-continuum coupling effects are strong, the experimental data of the ground state and the resonant as well as discretized non-resonant continuum states impose stringent constraint on the coupling strengths of the non-resonant continuum states.     

Faddeev equations and the method of hyperspherical harmonics in the problem of three-nucleon continuum

A method for solving the Faddeev equations in configuration space is developed for a three-nucleon system in the continuum by using the decomposition over a hyperspherical basis. The wave functions of Nd-system, phase shifts, and cross sections of Nd-scattering at subthreshold energies are calculated. Also, within the framework of this method, one-dimensional integral equations are formulated for the problem of infinite motion of all three strongly interacting particles, and the Faddeev equations for a system of three hadrons with Coulomb interaction in the continuum are modified. Similar methods of investigation of three-particle systems are reviewed.     

Dynamic polarization of 6,7Li nuclei in the elastic scattering of α particles

The elastic scattering of α particles on weakly bound ^6,7Li cluster nuclei is considered with allowance for their dynamic polarization within the three-particle model. The considered states of the αd and αt continuums are projected on a finite basis of stationary wave packets, which allows the total three-body problem to be reduced to a matrix problem. The results from calculating α + ^6,7Li-elastic scattering differential cross sections are considered as illustration of the three-particle approach and is compared to the results of other authors.     

Second-order breakup corrections to elastic deuteron-nickel scattering between 13 and 80 MeV

Breakup corrections to the elastic scattering matrix elements are calculated in the second-order distorted-wave Born approximation at deuteron incident energies of 45 and 85 MeV. The effects of spin are included. The size of the corrections are found to be generally as large as those obtained in a previous study at 13 and 21.6 MeV. The breakup cross section is calculated to first order in the breakup matrix elements by a distorted-wave Born treatment. Comparison with fully coupled calculations shows that the DWBA method overestimates the breakup cross section by a factor of about three.The continuum of breakup states up to a n-p relative momentum 1 fm^?1 is included in the calculations. This continuum is discretized by subdividing it first into two bins, and then into four bins. The finer discretization does not make a large difference in either the elastic cross section or the breakup cross sections. The higher bins give only a small contribution to either quantity.     

Three particles in a finite volume

Within the non-relativistic potential scattering theory, we derive a generalized version of the Lüscher formula, which includes three-particle inelastic channels. Faddeev equations in a finite volume are discussed in detail. It is proved that, even in the presence of the three-particle intermediate states, the discrete spectrum in a finite box is determined by the infinite-volume elements of the scattering S -matrix up to corrections, exponentially suppressed at large volumes.     

Coupling effects of resonant and discretized non-resonant continuum states in 4He + 6Li scattering at 10 MeV/A

Alpha-particle scattering from the resonant (3 ₁ ⁺ ) and non-resonant continuum states of ⁶Li is studied at incident energy 10 MeV/A. The α + d breakup continuum part within the excitation energy E _ex = 1.475–2.475 MeV is discretized in two energy bins. Unlike the results at higher incident energies, here the coupled-channel calculations show significant breakup continuum coupling effects on the elastic and inelastic scattering. It is shown that even when the continuum-continuum coupling effects are strong, the experimental data of the ground state and the resonant as well as discretized non-resonant continuum states impose stringent constraint on the coupling strengths of the non-resonant continuum states.     

Three-particle bound states for partly nonlocal interactions with continuum bound states

We determine the binding energies of the model triton for two partly nonlocal interactions consisting of a local potential with a strong repulsive core and a nonlocal separable interaction acting only inside the core region, which is responsible for the occurrence of a continuum bound state at very high energies in the total interaction. The ground state of the three-particle system does not collapse in this case as for purely nonlocal interactions. The occurrence of a continuum bound state is therefore only a necessary but not a sufficient condition for such an unphysical collapse in few particle systems.     

Thermalization of nonequilibrium electrons in quantum wires

We study the problem of energy relaxation in a one-dimensional electron system. The leading thermalization mechanism is due to three-particle collisions. We show that for the case of spinless electrons in a single channel quantum wire the corresponding collision integral can be transformed into an exactly solvable problem. The latter is known as the Schr?dinger equation for a quantum particle moving in a P?schl-Teller potential. The spectrum for the resulting eigenvalue problem allows for bound-state solutions, which can be identified with the zero modes of the collision integral, and a continuum of propagating modes, which are separated by a gap from the bound states. The inverse gap gives the time scale at which counterpropagating electrons thermalize.     

Fragmentation processes in nuclear reactions

Fragmentation processes in nuclear collisions are reviewed. The main emphasis is put on light ion breakup at nonrelativistic energies. The post- and prior-form DWBA theories are discussed. The post-form DWBA, appropriate for the “spectator breakup” describes elastic as well as inelastic breakup modes. This theory can also account for the stripping to unbound states. The theoretical models are compared to typical experimental results to illustrate the various possible mechanisms. It is discussed, how breakup reactions can be used to study high-lying single particle strength in the continuum; how they can yield information about momentum distributions of fragments in the nucleus.     

Analytical Solution of Partial-Wave Faddeev Equations with Application to Scattering and Statistical Mechanical Properties

In this work, the Faddeev equations for three-body scattering at arbitrary angular momentum are exactly solved and the transition matrices for some transition processes, including scattering and rearrangement channels are formulated in terms of free-particle resolvent matrix. A generalized Yamaguchi rank-two nonlocal separable potential has been used to obtain the analytical expressions for partial wave scattering properties of a three-particle system. The partial-wave analysis for some transition processes in a three-particle system is suggested. The partial-wave three-particle transition matrix elements have been constructed via knowledge of the matrix elements of the free motion resolvent. The calculation of a number of scattering properties of interest of the system such as transition matrix and its poles (bound states and resonances) and consequently other related quantities like scattering amplitudes, scattering length, phase shifts and cross sections are feasible in a straightforward manner. Moreover, we obtain a new analytical expression for the third virial coefficient in terms of three-body transition matrix.     

Continuum-discretized coupled-channels calculations for three-body models of deuteron-nucleus reactions

The formalism and results of truncated coupled channels evaluations of three-body models of deutron-induced nuclear reactions are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on breakup, elastic scattering and stripping. The relations of the coupled channels method to the Faddeev method, the adiabatic approximation and the distorted wave Born approximation are discussed extensively. Although the adiabatic approximation is seen to be excellent for the wavefunction in the elastic channel, it significantly underestimates the contributions of breakup states in stripping. Significant effects are associated with coupling to relative l = 2 breakup states.     

General three-particle scattering theory

A unified treatment of three-particle scattering theory with a three-body force in addition to the usual pair interactions is developed. The relationship of the generalized AGS and Faddeev formalisms to each other as well as distinct versions of each corresponding to the two most natural techniques for handling the three-body potential are established. It is found, just as in the case without the three-particle force, that the AGS formalism appears to be more practical for considering elastic and rearrangement scattering in two-body channels. On the other hand, for scattering amplitudes with at least one three-body channel (breakup and the 3-to-3) the Faddeev version of the theory is preferable. Other advantages of each formalism depending upon the treatment of the three-body interaction are noted.     

Configuration-Space Faddeev Calculation for Proton�CDeuteron Elastic Scattering Observables

A new computational method for solving the nucleon?Cdeuteron breakup scattering problem has been applied to study the elastic nucleon?Cdeuteron scattering on the basis of the configuration-space Faddeev?CNoyes?CNoble?CMerkuriev equations. The Merkuriev?CGignoux?CLaverne approach has been generalized for arbitrary nucleon?Cnucleon potentials and with an arbitrary number of partial waves. The nucleon?Cdeuteron observables at the incident nucleon energy 3?MeV have been calculated using the charge-independent AV14 nucleon?Cnucleon potential including the Coulomb force for the proton?Cdeuteron scattering. Results have been compared with those of other authors and with experimental proton?Cdeuteron scattering data.     

Analytical Solution of Partial-Wave Faddeev Equations with Application to Scattering and Statistical Mechanical Properties

In this work, the Faddeev equations for three-body scattering at arbitrary angular momentum are exactly solved and the transition matrices for some transition processes, including scattering and rearrangement channels are formulated in terms of free-particle resolvent matrix. A generalized Yamaguchi rank-two nonlocal separable potential has been used to obtain the analytical expressions for partial wave scattering properties of a three-particle system. The partial-wave analysis for some transition processes in a three-particle system is suggested. The partial-wave three-particle transition matrix elements have been constructed via knowledge of the matrix elements of the free motion resolvent.The calculation of a number of scattering properties of interest of the system such as transition matrix and its poles(bound states and resonances) and consequently other related quantities like scattering amplitudes, scattering length,phase shifts and cross sections are feasible in a straightforward manner. Moreover, we obtain a new analytical expression for the third virial coefficient in terms of three-body transition matrix.     

Practical relativistic three-particle theory with arbitrary particle interactions

Relativistic three-particle equations are established by the rules of Blankenbecler and Sugar, which put the intermediate particles on the mass shell. By use of the Wightman-Gåding momenta we preserve the correct cluster properties, time-reversal invariance and avoid a spurious s = 0 singularity. A reduction to effective multichannel two-particle equations which is not restricted to separble potentials is discussed. Our approach admits the systematical application of perturbation theory to relativistic composite particle scattering problems.