Symmetrization Effects in Spectator Momentum Distributions

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Abstract
The traditional identification of the slow nucleon as the spectator in deuteron-breakup collisions is shown to be valid only when there is a significant difference in the speeds of the two nucleons. When both have similar speeds, symmetrization effects cannot be ignored. These effects will be particularly important (a) for low-momentum-transfer events and (b) for "high-momentum spectator" events. A new comparison technique free of these difficulties is suggested. By studying the transverse momentum spectrum for both final-state nucleons, one avoids ambiguous spectator identification. In addition, the effect of the interference in such a distribution reveals the spatial symmetry of the final two-nucleon state. From this information it is possible to determine the relative contributions of spin-flip and -nonflip processes, and thereby to reconstruct the free-nucleon scattering accurately.