Predicting nucleon-nucleus scattering observables using nuclear structure theory

Developing a predictive capability for inelastic scattering will findapplications in multiple areas. Experimental data for neutron-nucleus inelasticscattering is limited and thus one needs a robust theoretical framework tocomplement it. Charged-particle inelastic scattering can be used as a surrogatefor $(n, \gamma)$ reactions to predict capture cross sections for unstablenuclei. Our work uses microscopic nuclear structure calculations for sphericalnuclei to obtain nucleon-nucleus scattering potentials and calculate crosssections for these processes. We implement the Jeukenne, Lejeune, Mahaux (JLM)semi-microscopic folding approach, where the medium effects on nuclearinteraction are parameterized in nuclear matter to obtain the nucleon-nucleon$(NN)$ interaction in a medium at positive energies. We solve for the nuclearground state using the Hartree-Fock-Bogliubov (HFB) many-body method, assumingthe nucleons within the nucleus interact via the Gogny-D1M potential. Thevibrational excited states of the target nucleus are calculated using thequasi-particle random phase approximation (QRPA). We demonstrate our approachfor spherical nuclei in the medium-mass region, showing scattering results forthe $^{90}$Zr nucleus.