  Nuclear transparency in the (e,e'p) reaction for 135 < Tp < 800 MeV is
investigated using the distorted wave approximation. Calculations using
density-dependent effective interactions are compared with phenomenological
optical potentials. Nuclear transparency is well correlated with proton
absorption and neutron total cross sections. For Tp < 300 MeV there is
considerable sensitivity to the choice of optical model, with the empirical
effective interaction providing the best agreement with transparency data. For
Tp > 300 MeV there is much less difference between optical models, but the
calculations substantially underpredict transparency data and the discrepancy
increases with A. The differences between Glauber and optical model
calculations are related to their respective definitions of the semi-inclusive
cross section. By using a more inclusive summation over final states the
Glauber model emphasizes nucleon-nucleon inelasticity, whereas with a more
restrictive summation the optical model emphasizes nucleon-nucleus
inelasticity; experimental definitions of the semi-inclusive cross section lie
between these extremes.
