Scaling algorithm to calculate heavy-ion spallation cross sections

An algorithm to scale nucleus-nucleus collision projectile-fragment cross sections from the corresponding proton-nucleus ones is developed. The algorithm takes advantage of the weak factorization property of projectile fragments. It uses the participant-spectator model and Glauber scattering theory and approximates the collision’s sum rules. The algorithm is sufficiently robust over the energy range 0.1–2.0 GeV/nucleon with no restrictions on the sizes of target (apart from the special case of ${}_{}{}^4{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{He}$) nor projectile nuclei. It offers marked improvement over our earlier semiempirical scaling procedure. Using measured and simulated cross sections for comparison, the estimated systematic uncertainty of the algorithm averaged over this energy range is ∼15%.