Interpretation of the neutron double-differential cross sections in the interactions of p+Al, Fe, and Zr at 1.2 GeV using the ultrarelativistic quantum molecular dynamics model

The ultrarelativistic quantum molecular dynamics (UrQMD) model is incorporated with a statistical decay model aiming to describe the neutron double global-differential cross sections of p+Al, Fe, and Zr at 1.2 GeV. Good agreement is generally obtained with the default UrQMD parameters. In particular, the UrQMD calculation with a momentum dependent Pauli potential improves the intensity of the quasielastic peak in neutron double-differential cross sections. The lower and higher energy parts of the neutron spectra at backward angles are found to be sensitive to meson-meson and meson-baryon interactions. The influence of sequential evaporation and simultaneous multifragmentation disintegration mechanisms on the neutron spectra is also investigated. It is shown that the statistical multifragmentation model is more suited for the description of the lower part of the neutron energy spectra.