Statistical analysis of cross-section data for 12C(4He, 4He)12C backscattering

A statistical analysis of experimental and theoretical SigmaCalc 1.6 data for the 12C(4He, 4He)12C cross-section was performed in the energy range 1600–8200 keV at backscattering angles in the range 149–172°. In the vicinity of sharp resonances experimental data show a very large scatter, in energy ranges with sufficiently smooth cross-section the overall uncertainty of a single measured cross-section data set is 10.3%. SigmaCalc allows averaging of experimental data at different angles, resulting in an averaged experimental cross-section with an accuracy of 2.1–6.6%. While SigmaCalc-2000 showed some systematic deviations from the experimental data, the improved SigmaCalc-2012 shows agreement with the average experimental cross-section within its error bars over most of the energy range. SigmaCalc and the average cross-section were compared to benchmark measurements at 2000–6000 keV. The deviations between SigmaCalc-2000 and experimental data were confirmed in the benchmark. Both SigmaCalc-2012 and the average cross-section agree with the benchmark over almost the whole energy range.