Effective probabilities in a new approach to analyzing angular distributions in elastic heavy-ion scattering

A new approach proposed previously to analyze angular distributions in elastic heavy-ion scattering is generalized to cases where total partial probabilities (that is, those that are summed over all channels) of the enhancement of “fusion” (in general, complete and incomplete fusion, quasifission, and deep-inelastic collisions) are commensurate with the total partial probabilities of the suppression of “fusion.” This could be done with the aid of effective total partial probabilities, each of these being defined as a linear combination of actual total partial probabilities. It is shown that the probabilities introduced in this way have a specific physical meaning. Indeed, the effective total partial probabilities make it possible to calculate the cross section for “fusion” through the entrance channel and some reference total cross sections for peripheral processes, and a conclusion on whether fusion and peripheral reactions are enhanced or suppressed can be drawn from a comparison of the calculated or measured results for, respectively, the fusion cross section and the total cross section for peripheral reactions with the above two cross sections. It is also found that the enhancement of fusion is accompanied by the suppression of peripheral reactions, and vice versa.