The dependence between neutron skin thickness and neutron abrasion cross section (σnabr) for neutron-rich nuclei is investigated within the framework of the statistical abrasion ablation model. Assuming that the density distributions for proton and neutron are of Fermi-type, and adjusting the diffuseness parameter of neutron density distribution in the droplet model, we find out the good linear correlation between the neutron skin thickness and the abrasion cross section σnabr for neutron-rich nuclei. The uncertainty of neutron skin thickness determined from σnabr is very small. It is suggested that σnabr can be used as a new experimental observable to extract the neutron skin thickness for neutronrich nucleus. The scaling behaviours between neutron skin thickness and σnabr, separately, for isotopes of ^26-35Na, ^44-56Ar, ^48-60Ca, ^67-78Ni are also investigated.
The 140 MeV/u ^40,48Ca+^9Be and ^58,64Ni+^9Be reactions are simulated by the statistical abrasion ablation model, and the simulation results are compared to the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) experimental data. By comparing the fragment isotopic distributions of ^40,48Ca and ^58,64Ni, we study the isospin effect in the projectile fragmentation induced by the neutron-rich nuclei at intermediate energy experimentally and theoretically. It is found that the isospin effect in projectile fragmentation decreases and even disappears as the violence of the collision increases.