The nuclear spin response to intermediate energy protons

Abstract Hadronic spin-excitations in nuclei are investigated by studying inelastic proton-nucleus scattering. The Random-Phase-Approximation (RPA) and the Distorted-Wave-Impulse-Approximation (DWIA) are used to describe the nuclear structure and reaction, respectively. To study spin-excitations in (p,p')-reactions, the double differential cross section and the spin-flip probability S nn ' are investigated for forward angles. The longitudinal and transverse spin-flip probabilities S L and S T give information about the π and ρ-exchange in the nuclear medium. These spin observables depend sensitively on the distortions of the projectile wave.