The low-energy limit of validity of the intranuclear cascade model

The intranuclear cascade model is generally considered to be valid when the incident particle has a sufficiently small de Broglie wavelength to interact with individual nucleons. On this basis, a lower limit of 200 MeV is usually quoted for the incident energy in nucleon-induced reactions. Here this statement is questioned. A pragmatic approach is used, which compares the predictions of the Liège intranuclear cascade model with available data at incident energy between 40 and 250 MeV. It is found that this model gives surprisingly good results at energies well below the limit mentioned above. Results are also compared with the predictions of other models commonly used in this energy range. Received: 2 September 2002 / Accepted: 22 October 2002 / Published online: 6 March 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: cugnon@plasma.theo.phys.ulg.ac.be RID="b" ID="b"e-mail: P.Henrotte@ulg.ac.be Communicated by G. Orlandini