Retrieving Nuclear Information from Protons Propagating Through a Thick Target: Why and How?

The multiple scattering of high-energy particles in a thick target is fromulated in an impact parameter representation. A formalism similar but not identical to that of Moliere is obtained. We show that calculations of particle beam broadening due to multiple Coulomb scattering alone can be given in closed form. The focus of this study is on determining whether or not the broadening of the Coulomb angular distribution prevents the retrieval of nuclear-interaction information from mesauring the angular distributions of charged partiles scattered from a thick target. For this purpose, we study multiple scattering with both the nuclear and Coulomb interactions included. Condition for retrieving nuclear infomration from high-energy protons propagating through a block of material are obtained.