The total reaction cross section ${\sigma }_R$ for ${}_{}{}^3{}_{}{}^{}$He${+\mathrm{}}^3$He has been obtained at laboratory bombarding energies of 17.9, 21.7, and 24.0 MeV by measuring the individual cross sections for production of protons, deuterons, tritons, ${}_{}{}^3{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{He}$, and α particles. The accuracy of the results is greatly improved by taking advantage of a novel method which depends on the symmetry about 90° in the center-of-mass system of the reaction cross sections for identical particles in the incoming channel. Use of this method reduces the range of energy and angle which must be measured for the continuous spectra of particles emitted in these multibody final states. In order of increasing energy, the values of ${\sigma }_R$ obtained in this experiment are 156.7±3.8, 250±14, and 296±12 mb. Individual cross sections contributing to ${\sigma }_R$ were also extracted. Implications of the measurements for resonating group calculations of ${}_{}{}^3{}_{}{}^{}$He${+\mathrm{}}^3$He scattering are examined.

• Received 14 October 1986

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.35.383