Cross Section Minima in Elastic<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mi mathvariant="italic">Nd</mml:mi></mml:math>Scattering: Possible Evidence for Three-Nucleon Force Effects

Abstract

Neutron-deuteron elastic scattering cross sections are calculated at different energies using modern nucleon-nucleon ( $\mathrm{NN}$) interactions and the Tucson-Melbourne three-nucleon force adjusted to the triton binding energy. Predictions based on $\mathrm{NN}$ forces only underestimate nucleon-deuteron data in the minima at higher energies starting around 60 MeV. Adding the three-nucleon forces fills up those minima and reduces the discrepancies significantly.