Measurement of the Transverse Spin-Transfer Coefficient $D_{\mathrm{NN}}\left(0\mathrm{}°\right)$ for ($p_{\mathrm{pol}}$,$n_{\mathrm{pol}}$) Reactions at 160 MeV

The first measurements of the transverse spin-transfer coefficient $D_{\mathrm{NN}}\left(0\mathrm{}°\right)$ for intermediate-energy ($p$,$n$) reactions to well-resolved nuclear states are reported. Results are presented for ($p_{\mathrm{pol}}$,$n_{\mathrm{pol}}$) reactions on ${}_{}{}^{6,7}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Li}$, ${}_{}{}^{12,13,14}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$, and ${}_{}{}^{90}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Zr}$ $E_p=160\mathrm{}$ MeV. The average value of $D_{\mathrm{NN}}\left(0\mathrm{}°\right)$ for pure Gamow-Teller transitions at this energy is shown to be close to the expected value of $\simeq -\frac{1}{3}$. The utility of spin-transfer measurements for investigation of aspects of the nuclear spin-dependent response not otherwise observable is pointed out.