Elastic scattering and breakup reactions of the proton drip-line nucleus 8B on 208Pb at 238 MeV

Elastic scattering and breakup angular distributions of the weakly bound radioactive nucleus B-8 on a Pb-208 target at an incident energy of 238 MeV, which corresponds to four times the Coulomb barrier, have been measured at the HIRFL-RIBLL facility (Institute of Modern Physics, Lanzhou). The data have been analyzed using the optical model and the continuum discretized coupled channels (CDCC) formalism. The measured and calculated elastic scattering angular distributions do not show any significant Coulomb rainbow suppression. The angular distribution for the breakup reaction was measured for the first time at this energy. The angular distribution of the Be-7 fragments could be reproduced considering elastic plus nonelastic breakup contributions, with the former evaluated with the CDCC calculations and the latter with the model of Ichimura, Austern, and Vincent [Phys. Rev. C 32, 431 (1985)]. The comparison of the breakup cross section of B-8 with that of Be-11 suggests that the Coulomb and centrifugal barriers encountered by the valence proton may suppress the breakup cross section.

Automated summary

Elastic scattering and breakup angular distributions of the weakly bound radioactive nucleus B-8 on a Pb-208 target at an incident energy of 238 MeV have been measured, showing no significant Coulomb rainbow suppression. The comparison with Be-11 breakup cross section suggests that Coulomb and centrifugal barriers may suppress the breakup cross section of B-8. The measured angular distribution of the Be-7 fragments could be reproduced by considering elastic plus nonelastic breakup contributions.