Initial state dependence of the breakup of weakly bound carbon isotopes

The one-neutron nuclear breakup from the carbon isotopes C-19 and C-17, is calculated as an example of application of the theory of transfer to the continuum reactions in the formulation which includes spin coupling. The effect of the energy sharing between the parallel and transverse neutron momentum distributions is taken into account, thus resulting in a theory which is more general than sudden eikonal approaches. Both effects an necessary to understand properly the breakup from not too weakly bound l(i)>1 orbitals. Breakup which leads the core into an excited state below particle threshold is also considered. The core-target interaction is treated in the smooth cutoff approximation. By comparing to presently available experimental data we show how to make some hypothesis on the quantum numbers and occupancy of the neutron initial state. Possible ambiguities in the interpretation of inclusive cross sections are discussed. [S0556-2813(99)05910-5].