Pion scattering and nuclear dynamics

A phenomenological optical-model analysis of pion elastic scattering and single- and doublecharge-exchange scattering to isobaric-analog states is reviewed. Interpretation of the opticalmodel parameters is briefly discussed, and several applications and extensions are considered. The applications include the study of various nuclear properties, including neutron deformation and surface-fluctuation contributions to the density. One promising extension for the near future would be to develop a microscopic approach based on powerful momentum-space methods brought to existence over the last decade. In this, the lowest-order optical potential as well as specific higher-order pieces would be worked out in terms of microscopic pion-nucleon and delta-nucleon interactions that can be determined within modern meson-theoretical frameworks. A second extension, of a more phenomenological nature, would use coupled-channel methods and shell-model wave functions to study dynamical nuclear correlations in pion double charge exchange.Invited talk to the symposium 'Mesons and Light Nuclei IV, Bechyn, Czechoslovakia, September 5–10, 1988.The author would like to express his appreciation to Dr. Mach and the organizers for their the hospitality at the Conference.