POLARIZATION IN NUCLEAR SCATTERING.
Abstract
Any particle with intrinsic spin (s is not 0) can align its spin axis in certain directions relative to an axis of quantization. Beams of identical particles will in general have all possible spin directions randomly represented unless some sorting mechanism has been employed. A beam of particles that has all spin directions represented with equal probability is said to be unpolarized. If all spins align up along some preferred direction we call the beam completely polarized. If some spin direction is more preferred than others we have a partially polarized beam. In order that polarization be a useful concept we must define it in a more systematic way - give it a quantitative measure for the above expressed qualitative ideas. Polarization experiments limited mostly to nuclear scattering are discussed. Physical ideas are used to explain the mathematical formalism. Attention is concentrated on discussing the scattering matrix M(theta, phi). (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0260595
Entities
People
- Richard C. Allas
Organizations
- Washington University in St. Louis