Spin-flip probablility in the inelastic scattering of 15—40 MeV protons on light nuclei

Spin-flip probability angular distributions for proton scattering from the $2_1^{+}$ level of ${}_{}{}^{24}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Mg}$ have been determined between 25° and 165° (in steps of 10°) at 15 incident energies between 14.5 and 35.5 MeV and, to obtain a more detailed energy dependence at backward angles, spin-flip probabilites have also been measured between 115° and 165° at ten additional energies. In order to extend the study of spin-flip probabilities also to other nuclei and to complement previous angular distributions, further backward angle data have been taken at 13 energies for ${}_{}{}^{32}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{S}$ and near 40 MeV for ${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$ and ${}_{}{}^{28}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Si}$. The experimental results have been compared with coupled-channel calculations based on the rotational model and, for ${}_{}{}^{24}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Mg}$, also with the predictions of microscopic antisymmetrized distorted wave calculations including two-step contributions. The collective analysis proves that spin-flip probabilities are particularly sensitive to the sign of the quadrupole deformation.