Nuclear Radii from Inelastic Cross-Section Measurements

Inelastic cross sections for high-energy protons, deuterons, ${\mathrm{He}}^3$ particles, and alpha particles accelerated in the 184-inch cyclotron were measured by an attenuation technique. All the cross sections vary as the square of the nuclear radius and indicate that if the nucleus has a fringe it increases as $A^{\frac{1}{3}}$. The derived value of the nuclear radius constant $a_0$ depends on the nuclear model and the particular bombarding particle. The effect of the nucleus is found to extend at least to a radius given by $a_0=(1.68\mathrm{}\pm 0.04)\times {10}^{-13\mathrm{}}$ cm. Deuteron stripping cross sections were derived and found to vary approximately as the square root of the mass number.