COMMENT ON (p,n) CROSS SECTIONS

Recent measurements by Howe on excitation cross sections of Cu and Zn isotopes show large variations from isotope to isotope in the magnitude of the (p,n) cross section. Cross sections calculated from the compound nucleus model for the isotopes of Ni, Cu, and Zn are compared to experimental data. It is concluded that the large variations in the (p,n) reaction, as measured by Howe, are not evidence for the non-compound nuclear process but offer an example as to the usefulness of the compound nucleus picture in such an energy region. (C.J.G.)