Density distribution of B-8 studied via reaction cross sections

Reaction cross sections (sigma(R)) for B-8 on Be, C and Al targets were mea sured at energies of 40A and 60A MeV. The density distribution of B-8 was S tudied through a chi(2)-fitting procedure on the sigma(R) including the hig h-energy data using the optical limit of Glauber theory with assumptions on the enhancement of the sigma(R) at low energies. The result shows a long t ail in the density distribution. Large one-proton removal cross sections we re also observed to support the existence of a long proton tail consistent with its binding energy. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved .