We investigate the use of proton-nucleus elastic scattering experiments using secondary beams of ${}^6\mathrm{He}$ and ${}^8\mathrm{He}$ to determine the physical structure of these nuclei. The sensitivity of these experiments to nuclear structure is examined by using four different nuclear structure models with different spatial features using a full-folding optical potential model. The results show that elastic scattering at intermediate energies $(<\mathrm{}100\mathrm{}$ MeV per nucleon) is not a good constraint to be used to determine features of structure. Therefore researchers should look elsewhere to put constraints on the ground state wave function of the ${}^6\mathrm{He}$ and ${}^8\mathrm{He}$ nuclei.

• Received 7 September 1999

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.61.044601