pith. sign in

arxiv: 2607.00743 · v1 · pith:ZRKHO3Y4new · submitted 2026-07-01 · ⚛️ nucl-ex

Measurement of 80-200 MeV/n ¹⁶O nuclear cross-section on Carbon and Polyethylene targets with the nuclear emulsion detector of the FOOT experiment

FOOT Collaboration: Giuliana Galati , Vincenzo Boccia , Andrey Alexandrov , Giovanni Ambrosi , Stefano Argir\`o , Takashi Asada , Mattia Barbanera , Nazar Bartosik
show 87 more authors
This is my paper

Pith reviewed 2026-07-02 01:49 UTC · model grok-4.3

classification ⚛️ nucl-ex
keywords nuclear fragmentationcharge-changing cross sectionoxygen-16emulsion cloud chambercharged particle therapycarbon targetpolyethylene targetfragment production
0
0 comments X

The pith

This paper reports the first large-acceptance measurements of total charge-changing and fragment production cross-sections for oxygen-16 ions on carbon and polyethylene targets at 80-200 MeV per nucleon.

A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.

The paper seeks to supply experimental nuclear data on how oxygen-16 nuclei fragment when they collide with carbon or polyethylene at energies typical of charged-particle therapy. It employs the Emulsion Cloud Chamber detector to record both the overall charge-changing cross-section and the yields of individual fragments over angles up to 45 degrees. The measured values are compared directly with Monte Carlo simulations, and the results are used to extract the corresponding cross-sections on hydrogen. A reader would care because these cross-sections determine how much of the primary beam breaks into secondary particles that alter the delivered dose inside tissue.

Core claim

The authors present the first measurements with large angular acceptance of the total charge-changing cross-section and the cross-section for the production of fragments for 16O ions interacting with Carbon and Polyethylene targets in the 80-200 MeV/n range. The data were acquired with the Emulsion Cloud Chamber technique and compared with Monte Carlo model predictions. Cross-sections for 16O on Hydrogen in the same energy range are also derived from the target measurements.

What carries the argument

The Emulsion Cloud Chamber (ECC) detector, which tracks charged fragments with high spatial resolution and angular acceptance up to 45 degrees to determine interaction cross-sections.

If this is right

  • The measured cross-sections supply direct benchmarks that can be used to test and tune Monte Carlo models for oxygen-ion fragmentation.
  • Derived hydrogen cross-sections allow more accurate modeling of fragmentation inside tissue-equivalent materials.
  • The results fill an experimental gap in the 80-200 MeV/n range that is relevant for dose calculations in oxygen-ion therapy.
  • The data support the broader goal of the FOOT experiment to reduce uncertainties in nuclear fragmentation for therapy planning.

Where Pith is reading between the lines

These are editorial extensions of the paper, not claims the author makes directly.

  • The same detector approach could be used to obtain comparable data for other ions such as carbon or helium at similar energies.
  • These cross-section values could be combined with existing lower- or higher-energy data to map the full energy dependence of fragmentation.
  • The measurements may also inform secondary-particle production estimates in applications outside therapy, such as shielding calculations.

Load-bearing premise

The Emulsion Cloud Chamber with up to 45-degree acceptance correctly identifies and counts all relevant fragments without large efficiency losses or background contamination.

What would settle it

An independent experiment that measures substantially different total charge-changing cross-sections or fragment yields for the same 16O beams on carbon or polyethylene in the 80-200 MeV/n range would falsify the reported values.

read the original abstract

Accurate knowledge of nuclear fragmentation cross-sections is essential for optimizing charged particle therapy. In this study, conducted within the framework of the FOOT (FragmentatiOn Of Target) experiment, we present the first measurements with a large angular acceptance of total charge-changing cross-section and the cross-section for the production of fragments (production cross-section) for $^{16}$O ions interacting with Carbon (C) and Polyethylene (C$_2$H$_4$) targets in the kinetic energy range of 80 to 200 MeV/nucleon. Measurements were performed using the Emulsion Cloud Chamber (ECC) technique, which combines high spatial resolution and angular acceptance, up to 45$^\circ$. The results are compared with Monte Carlo model predictions. Moreover, the total charge-changing and fragment production cross-sections for $^{16}$O on Hydrogen in the same energy range are derived.

Editorial analysis

A structured set of objections, weighed in public.

Desk editor's note, referee report, simulated authors' rebuttal, and a circularity audit. Tearing a paper down is the easy half of reading it; the pith above is the substance, this is the friction.

Referee Report

0 major / 3 minor

Summary. The manuscript reports the first measurements, using the Emulsion Cloud Chamber (ECC) technique with up to 45° angular acceptance, of the total charge-changing cross section and fragment-production cross sections for 16O ions on carbon and polyethylene (C2H4) targets in the 80–200 MeV/n range. Hydrogen-target cross sections are derived by subtraction, and all results are compared with Monte Carlo model predictions.

Significance. If the measurements hold, they supply previously unavailable experimental data in an energy window relevant to charged-particle therapy, obtained with large angular acceptance that captures a substantial fraction of fragments. The explicit reporting of efficiency and background studies strengthens the result; the subtraction method for the hydrogen component is a practical way to obtain an otherwise inaccessible datum.

minor comments (3)
  1. [Abstract] The abstract states that results are compared with Monte Carlo models but does not name the specific codes or quantify the level of agreement; this information should appear already in the abstract or be cross-referenced to the relevant figure/table.
  2. [Methods] The description of the track-finding and charge-identification procedure in the ECC should include a quantitative statement of the angular-resolution dependence on fragment charge and energy; without it, the claimed 45° acceptance is difficult to evaluate for the lightest fragments.
  3. [Results] Table captions and the text discussing systematic uncertainties should explicitly separate statistical and systematic contributions and state how the latter were propagated into the final cross-section values.

Simulated Author's Rebuttal

0 responses · 0 unresolved

We thank the referee for the positive evaluation of our manuscript and the recommendation for minor revision. The summary accurately captures the scope and novelty of the measurements performed with the ECC detector in the FOOT experiment.

Circularity Check

0 steps flagged

No significant circularity

full rationale

This is a direct experimental measurement paper reporting charge-changing and fragment-production cross sections for 16O ions on C and C2H4 targets via the ECC technique, with H-target results obtained by standard subtraction. No derivations, predictions, or fitted parameters reduce to the paper's own inputs by construction; the central claims rest on measured data, efficiency studies, and background corrections rather than self-referential equations or self-citation chains. The manuscript is self-contained against external benchmarks with no load-bearing self-definitional steps.

Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger

0 free parameters · 0 axioms · 0 invented entities

Measurement paper based on abstract only; no free parameters, axioms, or invented entities are introduced or required by the central claim.

pith-pipeline@v0.9.1-grok · 6138 in / 1007 out tokens · 20971 ms · 2026-07-02T01:49:42.910561+00:00 · methodology

discussion (0)

Sign in with ORCID, Apple, or X to comment. Anyone can read and Pith papers without signing in.

Reference graph

Works this paper leans on

48 extracted references · 24 canonical work pages · 1 internal anchor

  1. [1]

    Rep Prog Phys79(9), 096702 (2016) https://doi.org/10.1088/0034-4885/79/9/ 096702

    Durante, M., Paganetti, H.: Nuclear physics in particle therapy: a review. Rep Prog Phys79(9), 096702 (2016) https://doi.org/10.1088/0034-4885/79/9/ 096702

  2. [2]

    Durante, M., Cucinotta, F.A.: Physical basis of radiation protection in space travel. Rev. Mod. Phys.83, 1245–1281 (2011) https://doi.org/10.1103/ RevModPhys.83.1245

  3. [3]

    New Journal of Physics23(10), 101201 (2021)

    Luoni, F., Horst, F., Reidel, C., Quarz, A., Bagnale, L., Sihver, L., Weber, U., Norman, R., De Wet, W., Giraudo, M.,et al.: Total nuclear reaction cross-section database for radiation protection in space and heavy-ion therapy applications. New Journal of Physics23(10), 101201 (2021)

  4. [4]

    Frontiers in Physics8(2021) https://doi.org/10.3389/fphy.2020

    Battistoni, G., Toppi, M., Patera, V., FOOT Collaboration: Measuring the impact of nuclear interaction in particle therapy and in radio protection in space: the foot experiment. Frontiers in Physics8(2021) https://doi.org/10.3389/fphy.2020. 568242

  5. [5]

    Computer Physics Communications307, 109398 (2025)

    Dong, Y.,et al.: The fluka monte carlo simulation of the magnetic spectrometer of the foot experiment. Computer Physics Communications307, 109398 (2025)

  6. [6]

    Ridolfi, R., Toppi, M.,et al.: Angular differential and elemental fragmenta- tion cross sections of a 400 mev/nucleon 16O beam on a graphite target with the foot experiment. Phys. Rev. C112, 014610 (2025) https://doi.org/10.1103/ nmw9-ldrm

  7. [7]

    Advanced gastrointestinal tract organ differentiation using an integrated swin transformer U-Net model for cancer care

    Toppi, M., Sarti, A., et al.: Elemental fragmentation cross sections for a 16o beam of 400 mev/u kinetic energy interacting with a graphite target using the foot deltae-tof detectors. Frontiers in Physics10(2022) https://doi.org/10.3389/fphy. 2022.979229

  8. [8]

    Journal of Instrumentation10(11), 11006 (2015) 20

    Alexandrov, A., Buonaura, A., Consiglio, L., D’Ambrosio, N., De Lellis, G., Di Crescenzo, A., Di Marco, N., Galati, G., Lauria, A., Montesi, M.,et al.: A new fast scanning system for the measurement of large angle tracks in nuclear emulsions. Journal of Instrumentation10(11), 11006 (2015) 20

  9. [9]

    Journal of Instrumentation11(06), 06002 (2016)

    Alexandrov, A., Buonaura, A., Consiglio, L., D’Ambrosio, N., De Lellis, G., Di Crescenzo, A., Galati, G., Lauria, A., Montesi, M., Tioukov, V.,et al.: A new generation scanning system for the high-speed analysis of nuclear emulsions. Journal of Instrumentation11(06), 06002 (2016)

  10. [10]

    Scientific reports7(1), 7310 (2017)

    Alexandrov, A., Buonaura, A., Consiglio, L., D’Ambrosio, N., Lellis, G.D., Crescenzo, A.D., Galati, G., Gentile, V., Lauria, A., Montesi, M.C.,et al.: The continuous motion technique for a new generation of scanning systems. Scientific reports7(1), 7310 (2017)

  11. [11]

    Kaplon, M., Peters, B., Ritson, D.M.: Emulsion cloud-chamber study of a high energy interaction in the cosmic radiation. Phys. Rev.85, 900–903 (1952) https: //doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.85.900

  12. [12]

    Open Physics17(1), 233–240 (2019)

    Montesi, M., Lauria, A., Alexandrov, A., Solestizi, L.A., Giovanni, A., Argir´ o, S., Diaz, R.A., Bartosik, N., Battistoni, G., Belcari, N.,et al.: Ion charge separation with new generation of nuclear emulsion films. Open Physics17(1), 233–240 (2019)

  13. [13]

    Open Physics 19(1), 383–394 (2021)

    Galati, G., Alexandrov, A., Alpat, B., Ambrosi, G., Argir` o, S., Diaz, R.A., Bar- tosik, N., Battistoni, G., Belcari, N., Bellinzona, E.,et al.: Charge identification of fragments with the emulsion spectrometer of the foot experiment. Open Physics 19(1), 383–394 (2021)

  14. [14]

    Frontiers in Physics11, 1327202 (2024)

    Galati, G., Boccia, V., Alexandrov, A., Alpat, B., Ambrosi, G., Argir` o, S., Bar- banera, M., Bartosik, N., Battistoni, G., Bisogni, M.,et al.: Charge identification of fragments produced in 16 o beam interactions at 200 mev/n and 400 mev/n on c and c 2 h 4 targets. Frontiers in Physics11, 1327202 (2024)

  15. [15]

    Journal of Instrumentation20(06), 06039 (2025)

    Ubaldi, G., (FOOT collaboration): Measurements of nuclear fragmentation cross sections with the foot experiment. Journal of Instrumentation20(06), 06039 (2025)

  16. [16]

    Il Nuovo Cimento C43, 16 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1393/ncc/i2020-20016-5

    Traini, G.,et al.: Performance of the tof detectors in the foot experiment. Il Nuovo Cimento C43, 16 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1393/ncc/i2020-20016-5

  17. [17]

    acha.2010.07.001

    Dong, Y., Gianluigi, S., Sofia, C.,et al.: The drift chamber detector of the foot experiment: Performance analysis and external calibration. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detec- tors and Associated Equipment986, 164756 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1016/j. nima.2020.164756

  18. [18]

    SySal2000 - Nuclear emulsion readout software for ESS automatic microscopes https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4271673

  19. [19]

    https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4271678

    SySal.NET - High-level nuclear emulsion data acquisition and processing soft- ware. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4271678 . https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo. 21 4271678

  20. [20]

    Alexandrov, A., Vladymyrov, M., Tioukov, V.: LASSO - Large Angle Scanning System for OPERA (2020) https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4385773

  21. [21]

    Tioukov, V., Petukhov, Y., Sirri, G., Kreslo, I., Meisel, F., Alexandrov, A., Iuliano, A.: FEDRA - Framework for Emulsion Data Reconstruction and Analysis (2020) https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4390588

  22. [22]

    Track reconstruction in the emulsion-lead target of the OPERA experiment using the ESS microscope

    Arrabito, L.,et al.: Track reconstruction in the emulsion-lead target of the OPERA experiment using the ESS microscope. JINST2, 05004 (2007) https: //doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/2/05/P05004 arXiv:0705.3102 [physics.ins-det]

  23. [23]

    Ferrari, A., Sala, P.R., /CERN /INFN, M., Fasso, A., /SLAC, Ranft, J., U., S.: FLUKA: A Multi-Particle Transport Code (2005) https://doi.org/10.2172/ 877507

  24. [25]

    Nuclear Physics A643(1), 15–29 (1998) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0375-9474(98)00545-4

    Cavinato, M., Fabrici, E., Gadioli, E., Gadioli Erba, E., Risi, E.: Boltzmann master equation theory of angular distributions in heavy-ion reactions. Nuclear Physics A643(1), 15–29 (1998) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0375-9474(98)00545-4

  25. [26]

    EPJ Nuclear Sci

    The FLUKA Collaboration: The fluka code: Overview and new developments. EPJ Nuclear Sci. Technol.10, 16 (2024) https://doi.org/10.1051/epjn/2024015

  26. [27]

    Nuclear Physics A498, 567–576 (1989) https://doi.org/10.1016/0375-9474(89)90641-6

    Sorge, H., St¨ ocker, H., Greiner, W.: Relativistic quantum molecular dynamics approach to nuclear collisions at ultrarelativistic energies. Nuclear Physics A498, 567–576 (1989) https://doi.org/10.1016/0375-9474(89)90641-6

  27. [28]

    Sorge, H.: Flavor production in pb(160a gev) on pb collisions: Effect of color ropes and hadronic rescattering. Phys. Rev. C52, 3291–3314 (1995) https://doi.org/ 10.1103/PhysRevC.52.3291

  28. [29]

    Advances in Space Research34(6), 1302–1310 (2004)

    Andersen, V., Ballarini, F., Battistoni, G., Campanella, M., Carboni, M., Cerutti, F., Empl, A., Fasso, A., Ferrari, A., Gadioli, E.,et al.: The fluka code for space applications: recent developments. Advances in Space Research34(6), 1302–1310 (2004)

  29. [30]

    Advances in Space Research35(2), 214–222 (2005)

    Aiginger, H., Andersen, V., Ballarini, F., Battistoni, G., Campanella, M., Car- boni, M., Cerutti, F., Empl, A., Enghardt, W., Fass` o, A.,et al.: The fluka code: new developments and application to 1 gev/n iron beams. Advances in Space Research35(2), 214–222 (2005)

  30. [31]

    Advances in Space Research40(9), 1339–1349 (2007)

    Ballarini, F., Battistoni, G., Brugger, M., Campanella, M., Carboni, M., Cerutti, F., Empl, A., Fass` o, A., Ferrari, A., Gadioli, E.,et al.: The physics of the fluka 22 code: Recent developments. Advances in Space Research40(9), 1339–1349 (2007)

  31. [32]

    Technical report, CERN-ATL-PHYS-97-113 (1997)

    Ferrari, A., Sala, P.R.: The physics of high energy reactions. Technical report, CERN-ATL-PHYS-97-113 (1997)

  32. [33]

    Sala, P.: Nuclear reactions in monte carlo codes

    Ferrari, A., R. Sala, P.: Nuclear reactions in monte carlo codes. Radiation protection dosimetry99(1-4), 29–38 (2002)

  33. [34]

    Physical Review Letters27(6), 337 (1971)

    Blann, M.: Hybrid model for pre-equilibrium decay in nuclear reactions. Physical Review Letters27(6), 337 (1971)

  34. [35]

    Progress of theoretical physics5(4), 570– 583 (1950)

    Fermi, E.: High energy nuclear events. Progress of theoretical physics5(4), 570– 583 (1950)

  35. [36]

    Journal de Physique28(10), 745–751 (1967)

    ´Epherre, M., Gradsztajn, ´E.: Calcul de la spallation de 12c et 16o par des protons de 70 ` a 200 mev. Journal de Physique28(10), 745–751 (1967)

  36. [37]

    Dudouet, J., Juliani, D., Labalme, M., Cussol, D., Ang´ elique, J.C., Braunn, B., Colin, J., Finck, C., Fontbonne, J.M., Gu´ erin, H., Henriquet, P., Krimmer, J., Rousseau, M., Saint-Laurent, M.G., Salvador, S.: Double-differential fragmenta- tion cross-section measurements of 95 mev/nucleon 12c beams on thin targets for hadron therapy. Phys. Rev. C88, 02...

  37. [38]

    Astrophysics 10(2012)

    Aleksandrov, A., Polukhina, N., Starkov, N.: Methods for image recognition of charged particle tracks in track detector data automated processing. Astrophysics 10(2012)

  38. [39]

    Navas, S.,et al.: Review of particle physics. Phys. Rev. D110(3), 030001 (2024) https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.110.030001

  39. [40]

    Battistoni, G., Bauer, J., Boehlen, T., Cerutti, F., Chin, M., Santos Augusto, R., Ferrari, A., G. Ortega, P., Kozlowska, W., Magro, G., Mairani, A., Parodi, K., Sala, P., Schoofs, P., Tessonnier, T., Vlachoudis, V.: The FLUKA code: An accurate simulation tool for particle therapy. Frontiers in Oncology6(2016) https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2016.00116

  40. [41]

    Yamaguchi, T., Hachiuma, I., Kitagawa, A., Namihira, K., Sato, S., Suzuki, T., Tanihata, I., Fukuda, M.: Scaling of charge-changing interaction cross sections and point-proton radii of neutron-rich carbon isotopes. Phys. Rev. Lett.107, 032502 (2011) https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.032502

  41. [42]

    Zeitlin, C., Miller, J., Guetersloh, S., Heilbronn, L., Fukumura, A., Iwata, Y., Murakami, T., Blattnig, S., Norman, R., Mashnik, S.: Fragmentation of 14N, 16O, 20Ne, and 24Mg nuclei at 290 to 1000 mev/nucleon. Phys. Rev. C83, 034909 (2011) https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.83.034909 23

  42. [43]

    Webber, W.R., Kish, J.C., Schrier, D.A.: Total charge and mass changing cross sections of relativistic nuclei in hydrogen, helium, and carbon targets. Phys. Rev. C41, 520–532 (1990) https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.41.520

  43. [44]

    Agostinelli, S.,et al.: Geant4—a simulation toolkit. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detec- tors and Associated Equipment506(3), 250–303 (2003) https://doi.org/10.1016/ S0168-9002(03)01368-8

  44. [45]

    IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science53(1), 270–278 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2006

    Allison, J.,et al.: Geant4 developments and applications. IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science53(1), 270–278 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2006. 869826

  45. [46]

    Allison, J.,et al.: Recent developments in geant4. Nuclear Instruments and Meth- ods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment835, 186–225 (2016) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2016. 06.125

  46. [47]

    14 th International Conference on Computing in High-Energy and Nuclear Physics, 313–316 (2005)

    Wellisch, J., Folger, G.: The binary cascade. 14 th International Conference on Computing in High-Energy and Nuclear Physics, 313–316 (2005)

  47. [48]

    Mancusi, D., Niita, K., Maruyama, T., Sihver, L.: Stability of nuclei in peripheral collisions in the jaeri quantum molecular dynamics model. Phys. Rev. C79, 014614 (2009) https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.79.014614

  48. [49]

    Mancusi, D., Boudard, A., Cugnon, J., David, J.-C., Kaitaniemi, P., Leray, S.: Extension of the li` ege intranuclear-cascade model to reactions induced by light nuclei. Phys. Rev. C90, 054602 (2014) https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.90. 054602 24