REFRACTIVE SCATTERING AND REACTIONS IN THE O-16+O-16 SYSTEM AND THE COLD EQUATION OF STATE

Elastic scattering and transfer reactions in the system O-16 + O-16 measured to very large angles (THETAc.m. almost-equal-to 80-degrees) and small cross sections (< 1 mub/sr) show a clear evidence for refractive contributions. These contributions stem from collisions with very small impact parameters (b less-than-or-equal-to 2.5fm). Different approaches (including ''model independent'' methods) are used to deduce the complex scattering potential. In the folding model for the real optical potential, as well as in an approach based on the resonating group method (RGM) details of the nucleon-nucleon interaction, which determine the cold nuclear equation of state become relevant. This is due to density overlaps which occur during collisions where twice the saturation density of normal nuclear matter might be reached.