Polarization effects due to coupling of elastic to compound states

Abstract

From a compound nucleus level-density-dependent imaginary potential an energy-and angular-momentum-dependent polarization potential is obtained by using the dispersion relation. The effect of coupling in this way the compound nucleus states to the elastic channel is to introduce a strongly attractive real polarization potential at small separation of the centers of mass of the colliding nuclei. The effective potential at distances around the strong absorption radii of the systems 16O+24Mg, 28Si, 40Ca at different energies above the barrier is very slightly modified. Thus, the elastic and fusion cross sections of these reactions are hardly affected by the polarization potential.