The quasielastic scattering of the exotic nucleus ${}_{}{}^8{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{B}$ on a ${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$ target has been studied at an energy of 320 MeV and compared with that of ${}_{}{}^7{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Be}$ at the same velocity. The quasielastic scattering of ${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$ + ${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$ at 20 MeV/nucleon, also performed as a secondary beam experiment, was used to check the data reduction method. The results are interpreted in terms of a semimicroscopic double folding model and coupled-channels calculation. The difference in the total reaction cross section (8%) between ${}_{}{}^8{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{B}$ and ${}_{}{}^7{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Be}$ is consistent with the measured one proton removal cross section and corresponds to an increase in the interaction radius of 4%. The existence of a substantial proton halo in ${}_{}{}^8{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{B}$ is not supported by the present data.

• Received 6 September 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.52.191