Continuum-discretized coupled-channels method for four-body nuclear breakup in $^6$He+$^{12}$C scattering

Abstract

We propose a fully quantum-mechanical method of treating four-body nuclear breakup processes in scattering of a projectile consisting of three constituents, by extending the continuum-discretized coupled-channels method. The three-body continuum states of the projectile are discretized by diagonalizing the internal Hamiltonian of the projectile with the Gaussian basis functions. For $^6$He+$^{12}$C scattering at 18 and 229.8 MeV, the validity of the method is tested by convergence of the elastic and breakup cross sections with respect to increasing the number of the basis functions. Effects of the four-body breakup and the Borromean structure of $^6$He on the elastic and total reaction cross sections are discussed.