Abstract
The scattering of protons from 51V has been studied for proton energies from 5.700 to 5.962 MeV. Excitation functions have been obtained in steps of 2 keV laboratory angles of 90°, 105°, 118°, 135°, 150° and 163° for groups corresponding to the ground and first four excited states of 51V. Angular distributions have been measured in steps of 50 keV in this energy range. The cross section as a function of energy as well as angle shows strong fluctuations. For the analysis, correlation functions and probability distributions have been calculated according to the statistical theory of Ericson and Brink and Stephen. The results are in good agreement with the predictions of the theory. The average coherence energy Γ of 2.0 keV corresponds to a lifetime of 3.3×10-19 sec for the compound nucleus 52Cr excited at 16 MeV. Estimations of the number of effective channels and the amount of direct interaction are given by the compound nucleus theory of Hauser-Feshbach and optical model calculation.
