Proton total cross sections on 1H, 2H, 4He, 9Be,C and O in the energy range 180 to 560 MeV

Proton total cross sections have been measured for the nuclei ¹H, ²H, ⁴He, ⁹Be, C and O from 180 to 560 MeV (610 to 1170 MeV/c). The standard transmission technique was used with a resulting total error of 1 % to 2 %. Statistical errors were small (< 1 %) and the major contribution to the final error comes from uncertainties in applying the correction for Coulomb-nuclear interference in elastic scattering at small angles. For ⁴He, ⁹Be, ¹²C. and ¹⁶O this experiment also gives new information on the real part of the spin-independent forward scattering amplitude for proton-nucleus elastic scattering. Total cross sections have been calculated using a Glauber model approach and poor agreement with the data is obtained, even for deuterium.