Inelastic Scattering of Protons and Neutrons by Deuterons

If it is assumed that the range of nuclear forces is small compared to the size of the deuteron and the wavelength of the incoming particle ("zero-range" approximation) and something like the impulse approximation is used, a connection between the cross sections for elastic and inelastic p-d or n-d scattering is derived.The results of this simple theory are compared with available experimental data, and the agreement between the two is much better than the crude assumptions of the theory merit.An interesting consequence of the theory is that the connection between the elastic and inelastic scattering cross sections is independent of the properties of the two-body forces. The elastic scattering cross section depends hardly at all on the exchange properties of the two-body n-p potential (provided it gives the binding energy of the deuteron correctly) and the n-n potential, and the connection suggests that the same is true of the inelastic scattering cross section. This is in disagreement with more elaborate calculations of Bransden and Burhop.