Intermediate energy elastic, inelastic, and charge exchange nucleon-nucleus scattering

At these energies the reaction mechanism is expected to be particularly simple, and arguments are given for the applicability of the Distorted Wave t-matrix Approximation (DWtA). Three ingredients are required for theoretical calculations, the transition operator, the optical potential, and the requisite nuclear structure information. In order to extract nuclear structure reliably it is important to be cognizant of the important features entailed in the DWtA formalism. In this regard, the importance of several aspects of the theory, among them the knock-on exchange term and the importance of including the two-body polarization data, are examined. The implications of the time reversal properties of the nuclear wave functions on extraction of nuclear structure information are also investigated. The fact that the nucleon-nucleus interaction is independent of the interaction of other probes with the nucleus indicates that new information can be obtained from such reactions. Inelastic nucleon scattering can provide information supplemental to that obtained with other probes. Theoretical calculations are compared with new experimental data. It is concluded that the assumption of the DWtA reaction mechanism is valid; therefore, the extraction of nuclear structure information can be undertaken with confidence. The investigation of the reaction mechanism at lower energies is discussed