Role of the nuclear surface in the formation of total cross sections for heavy-ion reactions

Within the Glauber-Sitenko approach, a procedure for calculating cross sect ions for intermediate-energy heavy-ion reactions is developed by using the analytic form of the eikonal phase for the symmetrized Woods-Saxon potentia l, The differential and total cross sections obtained on this basis comply well with the results derived by numerically solving the wave equation. A c lear and instructive model of the phase is constructed, which makes it poss ible to separate, in total reaction cross sections, the contributions of th e internal and the peripheral region of interaction. It is found that the n uclear surface plays an important role in the formation of reaction cross s ections, and the effect of the Coulomb field on these cross sections is inv estigated. The origin of a continuous ambiguity in optical potentials is re vealed in interpreting total cross sections. (C) 2001 MAIK "Nauka/Interperi odica".