Sub-barrier d+$^{208}$Pb scattering and sensitivity to nucleon-nucleon interactions

We employ the non-perturbative time-dependent basis function (tBF) approach to solve for the sub-Coulomb barrier scattering of the deuteron projectile on the $^{208}$Pb target. Specifically, we treat the target as a source of a strong external Coulomb field that induces higher-order effects in electric-dipole excitations of the deuteron projectile including the population of states not accessible through direct electric-dipole transitions from the ground state of the deuteron. We calculate the electric-dipole polarizability of the deuteron and elastic scattering observables for comparison with experimental data. With no adjustable parameters, the tBF approach provides good agreement with experimentally available differential cross-section ratios. The dependence of these measured quantities on nucleon-nucleon interactions is investigated. We also investigate the detailed scattering dynamics and identify characteristics of coherent and incoherent processes.