Microscopic description of nucleon-nucleus elastic scattering

We test the validity of a theory developed in earlier papers by analyzing the differential cross section and polarization data for nucleon elastic scattering from 16O, 40Ca and 208Pb over a wide range of energies. The only inputs in the calculation are a realistic internucleon force and the matter densities describing the target nucleus. In general we conclude that the theory gives an adequate description of the average properties of nucleon-nucleus scattering. It fails to reproduce the experimental data for nucleon scattering from light nuclei, mainly in the low energy region, and when there are strong channel resonance effects present.