The (p, t) and (p, τ) reactions on O at 39.8 MeV

Differential cross sections have been measured at forward angles for (p, t) and (p, τ) transitions from ¹⁷O to the ^? ground states and lowest-energy ^? states in the ¹⁵O and ¹⁵N mirror nuclei. The data are compared with DWBA calculations using simple single-particle and single-hole wave functions. When the (p, t) and (p, τ) transitions are considered separately, the calculated and experimental ratios of the ^? integrated cross sections to the ^? integrated cross sections agree to within 30 %; however, the ratios of (p, τ) cross sections to the mirror state (p, t) cross sections are calculated to be about twice as large as actually measured. This experimentally observed reduction of the (p, τ) cross section relative to the (p, t) cross section can possibly be attributed to interference between the S = 0 and S = 1 components of the (p, τ) transitions.