On the kinematics of (p, pX) knockout reactions in normal and inverse kinematics

Abstract

The kinematics of (p, pX) knockout reactions is overviewed. Consistent descriptions of the kinematical quantities for normal and inverse kinematics are given. Starting from the kinematics of p-X elastic scatterings, which are elementary processes of the (p, pX) knockout reactions, effects of the separation energy of the knocked-out particle SX, its in-nucleus momentum $\vec{k}_{F}$, and a momentum transfer q are investigated. The three quantities are called “knockout feature quantities” in this article. The main conclusions are: SX dependences of the (p, pX) kinematics are mainly through changes in the p-X center-of-momentum energy $\sqrt{s_{pX}}$ for which no difference exists between normal and inverse kinematics. Effects of longitudinal-to-the-beam component of $\vec{k}_{F}$ cause a significant difference between normal and inverse kinematics through changes in βpX and $\sqrt{s_{pX}}$. On the other hand, the transverse-to-the-beam component of $\vec{k}_{F}$ changes energy sharing between the scattered proton and the knocked-out particle in both normal and inverse kinematics.