Comprehensive calculations of three-body breakup cross sections

We present in detail a theoretical model for fragmentation reactions of thr ee-body halo nuclei. The different reaction mechanisms corresponding to the different processes are described and discussed. Coulomb and nuclear inter actions are simultaneously included and the method is therefore applicable for any target, light, intermediate and heavy. Absolute values of many diff erential cross sections are then available as function of beam energy and t arget. We apply the method to fragmentation of He-6 and Li-11 on C, Cu and Pb. A large variety of observables, cross sections and momentum distributio ns, are computed. In almost all cases we obtain good agreement with the ava ilable experimental data. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserve d.