Impact parameter selected nuclear temperatures of hot nuclei from excited state populations for 40Ar+197 Au reactions at E/A=25MeV

Nuclear temperatures extracted from excited state populations were measured as a function of linear momentum transfer (LMT) for ⁴⁰Ar+¹⁹⁷ Au reactions at 25MeV/nucleon. The emission temperatures increased slightly with increasing linear momentum transfer or decreasing impact parameter. Taking into account the corrections of detection efficiency and sequential feeding from higher-lying states, a temperature of T ≈ 4MeV was deduced for central collisions. For peripheral collisions the extracted temperatures increased with the energy of the particles.     

Results from the first physics run of PHENIX at RHIC

First results from measurements of Au?Au collisions at $\sqrt {s_{NN} } = 130$ GeV, performed with the PHENIX experiment during the initial physics run of Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider in summer 2000, are summarized. Global characterization of the collisions was obtained from charged-particle multiplicity and transverse energy densities. At mid-rapidity, dN _ch /dν and dE _T /dν rise steadily with the event centrality, while the ratio <E _T >/<N _ch > remains constant. Transverse momentum spectra of charged particles up to 5 GeV/c yield a suppression of high-momentum particles in the most central events when compared to a simple scaling of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions. The scaling matches with peripheral collisions. Transverse momentum spectra of identified neutral pions from 1 to 4 GeV/c in peripheral collisions show consistency with point-like scaling with the average number of binary collisions. Yields in central collisions are significantly suppressed. Transverse momentum spectra of identified charged hadrons up to 3.5 GeV/c were measured in minimum bias events. The mass and centrality dependencies of inverse slope parameters and mean transverse momenta were determined. Inclusive spectra of electrons were measured for momenta from a few hundred MeV/c to 4 GeV/c. Inclusive photon spectra from a few hundred MeV/c to 3 GeV/c were obtained from conversion pair measurements.     

Impact parameter dependence of the scaling of anisotropic flows in intermediate energy heavy-ion collisions

The scaling behaviors of anisotropic flows of light charged particles are studied for 25 MeV/u40Ca+40Ca collisions at different impact parameters by the isospin-dependent quantum molecular dynamics model.The nucleonnumber scaling of elliptic flow exists and the scaling of the ratios of v4/v22and v3/(v1v2)is applicable to collisions at almost all impact parameters except for peripheral collisions.     

Impact parameter dependence of the scaling of anisotropic flowsin intermediate energy heavy-ion collisions

The scaling behaviors of anisotropic flows of light charged particles are studied for 25 MeV/u ⁴⁰Ca+⁴⁰Ca collisions at different impact parameters by the isospin-dependent quantum molecular dynamics model. The nucleon-number scaling of elliptic flow exists and the scaling of the ratios of v₄/v₂² and v₃/(v₁v₂) is applicable to collisions at almost all impact parameters except for peripheral collisions.     

A particle-hole calculation for pion production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

A differential cross section for π-meson production in peripheral heavy-ion collisions is formulated within the context of a particle-hole model in the Tamm-Dancoff approximation. This is the first attempt at a fully quantum-mechanical particle-hole calculation for pion production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The particular reaction studied is an ¹⁶O projectile colliding with a ¹²C target at rest. In the projectile we form a linear combination of isobar-hole states, with the possibility of a coherent isobar giant resonance. The target can be excited to its giant M1 resonance (J^π = 1⁺, T = 1) at 15.11 MeV, or to its isobar analog neighbours, ¹²B at 13.4 MeV and ¹²N at 17.5 MeV. The theory is compared to recent experimental results.     

Breakup temperature of target spectators in 197Au + 197Au collisions at E/A = 1000 MeV

Breakup temperatures were deduced from double ratios of isotope yields for target spectators produced in the reaction ¹⁹⁷Au + ¹⁹⁷Au at 1000 MeV per nucleon. Pairs of ^3,4He and ^6,7Li isotopes and pairs of ^3,4He and H isotopes (p, d and d, t) yield consistent temperatures after feeding corrections, based on the quantum statistical model, are applied. The temperatures rise with decreasing impact parameter from 4 MeV for peripheral to about 10 MeV for the most central collisions. The good agreement with the breakup temperatures measured previously for projectile spectators at an incident energy of 600 MeV per nucleon confirms the universality established for the spectator decayat relativistic bombarding energies. The measured temperatures also agree with the breakup temperatures predicted by the statistical multifragmentation model. For these calculations a relation between the initial excitation energy and mass was derived which gives good simultaneous agreement for the fragment charge correlations. The energy spectra of light charged particles, measured at τ_lab = 150°, exhibit Maxwellian shapes with inverse slope parameters much higher than the breakup temperatures. The statistical multifragmentation model, because Coulomb repulsion and sequential decay processes are included, yields light-particle spectra with inverse slope parameters higher than the breakup temperatures but considerably below the measured values. The systematic behavior of the differences suggests that they are caused by light-charged-particle emission prior to the final breakup stage.     

Study of the heavy products from84Kr+238U collisions at 522 MeV

Angular distributions and integral cross sections for heavy reaction products from⁸⁴Kr +²³⁸U collisions at 522 MeV were measured using catcher foil techniques and off-line X-ray identification of individual reaction product isotopes. There is no evidence for a fission-fusion mechanism being responsible for the formation of the “gold finger”. The data show that usual deep inelastic collisions account for the formation of all products with 70≦Z≦86. Compared to existing data atE≦605 MeV, the deduced mass distribution indicates reduced fission probabilities forZ≧80 fragments at 522 MeV. This is consistent with the expected dependence of fission probability on excitation energy and especially on angular momentum.     

Angular momentum transfer in incomplete fusion

Isomeric cross-section ratios of evaporation residues formed in¹²C+⁹³Nb and¹⁶O+⁸⁹Y reactions were measured by recoil catcher technique followed by off-line γ-ray spectrometry in the beam energy range of 55.7–77.5 MeV for¹²C and 68–81 MeV for¹⁶O. The isomeric cross-section ratios were resolved into that for complete and incomplete fusion reactions. The angular momentum of the intermediate nucleus formed in incomplete fusion was deduced from the isomeric cross-section ratio by considering the statistical deexcitation of the incompletely fused composite nucleus. The data show that incomplete fusion is associated with angular momenta slightly smaller than critical angular momentum for complete fusion, indicating the deeper interpenetration of projectile and target nuclei than that in peripheral collisions.     

Fragmentation of target spectators in ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions

We demonstrate that the assumption that target spectators fragment isotropically in a gently moving coordinate system is in agreement with pseudorapidity distributions, measured in central ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions of projectile energy from 14.5A GeV to 200A GeV. Target spectator remnants might be excluded from measurement by introducing a low energy cutoff for the accepted particles at approximately 200 MeV. An approximate scaling is presented for the pseudorapidity distribution of the target spectator fragments. Theoretical tools used for studying intermediate energy heavy ion collisions seem to be applicable in describing target spectator fragmentation in ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions.     

Angular Distributions of Projectile Fragments Produced in Collisions of 200A GeV 32S Beam with Cu

Angular distributions of projectile fragments P,Si,Al and Mg produced in collisions of 200A GeV ³²S beam with Cu are measured.The range of σ_pt deduced is within 130—270MeV/c.     

Exclusive measurements of light fragment production at forward angles in Ne-Pb and Ne-NaF collisions at E/A=400 MeV and 800 MeV

Emission of light fragments at small angles is studied in relativistic heavy ion collisions using the Diogene plastic wall for both symmetrical and non-symmetrical target-projectile systems with 400 MeV per nucleon and 800 MeV per nucleon incident neon nuclei. Efficiency of multiplicity measurements in the small angle range for the selection of central or peripheral collisions is confirmed for asymmetric systems. Differential production cross sections of Z = 1 fragments show evidence for the existence of two emitting sources. The apparent temperature of each source is obtained from comparison with a thermodynamical model.     

Direct α particle emission in incomplete fusion reaction on a spherical target124Sn

Direct α particles cross sections and angular distributions have been measured when bombarding a¹²⁴Sn target with various projectiles:¹⁶O (90, 105, 125 MeV)¹⁹F (104 MeV)²⁰Ne (112, 156 MeV). Results have been found independant of the projectile structure. In the same reactions, gamma multiplicity measurements have shown that direct α particles are emitted in collisions with intermediate impact parameters. The angular momentum is found to be about half of the valuel _cr for complete fusion.     

Hard gamma as probe of nuclear dynamics

Experimental results concerning the ⁵⁸Ni + ⁵⁸Ni at 30 MeV/u and ⁵⁸Ni + ¹⁹⁷Au at 30 and 45 MeV/u reactions are presented. The emission mechanism of hard photons has been exploited to get information on the time evolution of the reactions. From the measured hard gamma multiplicity associated to different classes of heavy residues a quantitative estimate of the reaction centrality has been obtained. Moreover, evidence of a prompt Intermediate Mass Fragment (IMF) emission is shown for the Ni + Au reaction at 45 MeV/u for central collisions exploring the correlation function between thermal photons and IMF’s.     

Microscopic calculation of pre-equilibrium emission

Previous TDHF calculations have shown that a pre-equilibrium emission of nucleons should be seen for asymmetric collisions of nuclei. Recent calculations indicate that the added effect of two-body collisions is to enhance this pre-equilibrium emission, it being seen also for symmetric collisions. More detailed calculations of this phenomenon are presenied here. The two-body collisions are treated by the time-relaxation method. This method is reviewed, and a revised formula for the relaxation time is introduced.Calculations are made in a slab geometry. For real nuclei, as much as 6% of all nucleons are estimated to be emitted at a beam energy of E_c.m. = 20 MeV/A. The energy distribution of the emitted nucleons relates to a temperature of 13 MeV at this energy. At 5 MeV/A, the emission is reduced to about 1 %.     

Isospin aspects in nuclear reactions involving Ca beams at 25 MeV/nucleon

Isospin dependence of dynamical and thermodynamical properties observed in reactions ⁴⁰Ca+ ^40,48Ca and ⁴⁰Ca + ⁴⁶Ti at 25 MeV/nucleon has been studied. We used the CHIMERA multi-detector array. Strong isospin effects are seen in the isotopic distributions of light nuclei and in the competition between different reaction mechanisms in semi-central collisions. We will show also preliminary results obtained in nuclear collision ⁴⁸Ca + ⁴⁸Ca at 25MeV/nucleon, having very high N/Z value in the entrance channel (N/Z = 1.4). The enhancement of evaporation residue production confirms the strong role played by the N/Z degree of freedom in nuclear dynamics.     

Investigation of the dynamics of dissipative U+Au collisions with δ-electron spectroscopy

δ-electron emission in elastic and dissipative collisions of U+Au at E/A = 8.65 MeV has been investigated. The velocity vectors of the reaction products were measured in coincidence with electrons of energies up to 3.2 MeV. The δ-electron yield measured for elastic collisions is in good agreement with coupled-channels calculations. The δ-electron spectra of dissipative reactions show a clear dependence on the violence of the collision, i.e. the total kinetic energy loss (TKEL). The shape of the spectra are analysed with an atomic model by a fitting procedure using phenomenological trajectories. The results indicate an increasing contact time of the united system with increasing total kinetic energy loss reaching 1.16(4) × 10^?21 s at < TKEL > = 375 MeV.     

Application of a two-step dynamical model to calculating properties of fusion-fission reactions

The two-step model of fusion-fission reactions that was proposed previously by the present authors is extended in such a way as to describe the multiplicity of light particles emitted from nuclearfission fragments. Calculations are performed for the reaction induced by ⁴⁸Ca + ²⁴⁴Pu collisions. The mass distribution of fragments, their mass-energy distribution, and the total multiplicity of neutrons and gamma rays are obtained for E _lab = 230, 238, 249, and 255 MeV. It is shown that the model reproduces qualitatively relevant experimental data. In order to attain quantitative agreement, it is necessary to take into account the angular momentum carried away by particles from the nucleus undergoing fission and various types of gamma rays emitted by the nucleus and its fission fragments.     

Low neutron multiplicity in the symmetric fission reaction 158Gd (22Ne,Rb) Rb

We have measured isotopic distributions of rubidium in the fission of ¹⁵⁸Gd induced by ²²Ne beams of 127, 141 and 166 MeV with an on-line mass spectrometer. Neutron multiplicities for the symmetric fission process deduced from these distributions are found to be low and indicate the possibility of high intrinsic fragment spins in heavy-ion induced fission.     

Identification of baryon resonances in central heavy-ion collisions at energies between 1 and 2 AGeV

The mass distributions of baryon resonances populated in near-central collisions of Au on Au and Ni on Ni are deduced by defolding the p_t spectra of charged pions by a method which does not depend on a specific resonance shape. In addition the mass distributions of resonances are obtained from the invariant masses of (p, π^±) pairs. With both methods the deduced mass distributions are shifted by an average value of −60 MeV/c² relative to the mass distribution of the free Δ(1232) resonance, the distributions descent almost exponentially towards mass values of 2000 MeV/c². The observed differences between (p, π⁻) and (p, π⁺) pairs indicate a contribution of isospin I = 1/2 resonances. The attempt to consistently describe the deduced mass distributions and the reconstructed kinetic energy spectra of the resonances leads to new insights about the freeze out conditions, i.e. to rather low temperatures and large expansion velocities. Received: 26 June 1998 / Revised version: 2 September 1998     

Universal fluctuations in heavy-ion collisions in the Fermi energy domain

We discuss the scaling laws of both the charged fragments multiplicity n fluctuations and the charge of the largest fragment Z(max) fluctuations for Xe + Sn collisions in the range of bombarding energies between 25A MeV and 50A MeV. We show at E(lab) > or similar to 32 MeV/A the transition in the fluctuation regime of Z(max) which is compatible with the transition from the ordered to disordered phase of excited nuclear matter. The size (charge) of the largest fragment is closely related to the order parameter characterizing this process.