Rainbow-like scattering in absorptive nuclear systems

Nuclear rainbow phenomena is known to occur in nuclear scattering of weakly absorbing systems such as 12C + 12C, 12C + 16O, 16O + 16O, and projectiles in various target nuclei. Following theoretical predictions based on the Sao Paulo Potential (SPP), the16O+27A elastic and inelastic scattering was measured at two beam energies (namely, 100 and 280 MeV) with the MAGNEX spectrometer at the LNS, Catania. The results show rainbow-like characteristics at the largest scattering angles, even in this system for which absorption is stronger and surface reflection tends to dominate the elastic scattering angular distribution. The coupling to the inelastic channels appears to be fundamental for the possibility of some refractive scattering, according to the theoretical calculations, which is essential for nuclear rainbow formation. This can be best appreciated in a nearfar de composition of the angular distribution. Although the cross sections are very small, the large scattering angle region can provide important information from the inner parts of the nucleus-nucleus potential, which is practically inaccessible otherwise