A study of proton-induced reactions at 190 MeV

Differential cross-sections and proton multiplicities, resulting from the bombardment of Fe-56, Pb-208, and U-238 targets by a 190 MeV proton beam were measured for the first time. Data were taken over two different angular ranges 5degrees-30degrees and 91degrees-160degrees with two different detection systems. Angular distributions of fast (> 20 MeV) protons are all forward peaked, due to the dominating elastic-scattering contribution. Moreover, the shapes of the distributions are quite independent of the target. The results are compared with modern optical-model predictions and with Intra-Nuclear Cascade (INC) calculations. Reasonable agreement between calculations and experimental data is obtained in the forward angles, but the comparison clearly indicates the need to modify the parameterization of the model at backward angles, where the agreement is rather poor.