Nuclear Reactions in the Continuous Energy Region

Abstract

IT is typical for nuclear reactions initiated by collisions or radiation that they may, to a large extent, be considered as taking place in two steps: the formation of a highly excited compound system and its subsequent disintegration or radiative transition to a less excited state. We denote by A, B, . . the possible alternative products of the reaction, specified by the nature, internal quantum state, and spin direction both of the emitted particle or photon and of the residual nucleus and the orbital momentum. Further, we call P_A, P_B . . . the probabilities, per unit time, of transitions to A, B, . . . respectively, from the compound state.