HIGH ENERGY EXCITATION FUNCTIONS IN THE HEAVY REGION

The electrostatically deflected beam of the 184-inch cyclotron has been used with the stacked foil and absorber technique to determine the excitation functions for the following reactions: Th{sup 232}(p,6n)Pa{sup 227}, Th{sup 232}(p,3n)Pa{sup 230}, Th{sup 232}(d,7n)Pa{sup 227}, Th{sup 232}({alpha},p8n)Pa{sup 227}, Th{sup 232}({alpha},p5n)Pa{sup 230}, and U{sup 238}(p,{alpha}8n)Pa{sup 227}. The data are presented graphically and discussed individually for each of the reactions. Some rough excitation function data have also been determined for the reactions Th{sup 232}(d,4n)Pa{sup 230}, U{sup 238}(p,{alpha}5n)Pa{sup 230}, Th{sup 232}({alpha},7n)U{sup 229}, and Th{sup 232}({alpha},6n)U{sup 230}. The results are discussed in terms of compound nucleus formation, transparency effects, and other factors in order to arrive at a qualitative picture for the mechanism of high energy nuclear reactions with heavy nuclei