Ground state reorientation effects in elastic scattering cross sections

Elastic scattering cross sections are shown to be quite sensitive to ground state reorientation amplitudes and cross sections. These effects are dramatically evident when comparing scattering from even-even nuclei with that from high-spin odd-A nuclei, and may affect choices of potentials for odd versus even nuclei. Neutron scattering data from 235U and 238U are analyzed via coupled channels methods. The diffraction minima in elastic scattering from 235U are found to be dominated by reorientation cross sections. The majority of this reorientation is shown to follow from second order virtual nuclear excitations rather than proceeding amplitudes for direct ground state reorientation. (orig.)