Emission of helium nuclei in heavy ion interactions at energies ≧ 100 MeV/nucleon

The energy and angular distributions of helium particles emitted in interactions between nuclei in the cosmic radiation and nuclei in photoemulsions at energies ≧ 100 MeV/nucleon have been studied. The data obtained is impossible to interpret on the basis of a statistical decay of excited nuclei. For example, it is found that more than 28% of the helium nuclei are emitted in processes different from simple evaporation. The differential energy distribution of the helium nuclei in the energy interval (40–200) MeV can be represented by the relationN(E)dE=constE ^?a dE, wherea≈1.2. The large spread in angles and energies of the fast helium particles emitted in heavy ion interactions can to a certain degree be understood, if it is assumed that interactions between nucleons and clusters of nucleons occur.     

Pion and proton emission in interactions induced by relativistic heavy nuclei withZ≧12

The emission of pions and protons in interactions between heavy nuclei from the cosmic radiation (12≦Z≦26) and photoemulsion nuclei has been studied. The angular and energy distributions of target protons are similar to corresponding distributions in proton-nucleus interactions for emission angles >30°. In heavy ion interactions a forward peak of high energy target protons (E>200 MeV)is observed. The energy spectrum of target protons for angles <30° is remarkably flat for heavy ion interactions. For increasing disintegration of the target nucleus the number of produced pions per emitted recoil target proton is almost constant in heavy ion interactions, while it decreases rapidly in proton-nucleus interactions. The logtgΘ distributions of pions have small standard deviations even in interactions with a large target disintegration.     

Evidence for azimuthal correlations in inelastic interactions of56Fe nuclei in emulsion at 2.5A GeV/c

Azimuthal correlations in angles between various types of charged secondary particles from inelastic interactions of relativistic⁵⁶Fe nuclei with the nuclei of nuclear emulsions have been investigated. It is observed that all types of charged secondaries produced are emitted asymmetrically in the azimuthal plane. The degree of azimuthal asymmetry increases with the decrease of impact parameter. We have also observed that particles belonging to different kinematical regions of the nucleus-nucleus interaction (intergroup correlation) have a tendency to be emitted to the opposite sides in the azimuthal plane.     

Fast helium production in interactions of 3.7 A GeV <Superscript>24</Superscript>Mg with emulsion nuclei

We have studied the properties of the relativistic helium fragments emitted from the projectile in the interactions of ²⁴Mg ions accelerated at an energy of 3.7 A GeV with emulsion nuclei. The total, partial nuclear cross-sections and production rates of helium fragmentation channels in relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions and their dependence on the mass and energy of the incident projectile nucleus are investigated. The yields of multiple helium projectile fragments disrupted from the interactions of ²⁴Mg projectile nuclei with hydrogen H, light CNO and heavy AgBr groups of target emulsion nuclei are discussed and they indicate that the breakup mechanism of the projectile seems to be independent of the target mass. Limiting fragmentation behavior of fast-moving helium fragments is observed in both the projectile and target nuclei. The multiplicity distributions of helium projectile fragments emitted in the interactions of ²⁴Mg projectile nuclei with the different target nuclei of the emulsion are well described by the KNO scaling presentation. The mean multiplicities of the different charged secondary particles, normally defined shower, grey and black ( n_s, n_g and n_b) emitted in the interactions of 3.7 A GeV ²⁴Mg with the different groups of emulsion nuclei at different ranges of projectile fragments are decreasing when the number of He fragments stripped from projectile increases. These values of n_i ( i = s, g, b and h particles) in the events where the emission of fast helium fragments were accompanied by heavy fragments having Z 3 seem to be constant as the He multiplicity increases, and exhibit a behavior independent of the He multiplicity.     

Neutrino propagation in a medium with a magnetic field

Data on the mean multiplicity of strange hadrons produced in minimum bias proton-proton and central nucleus-nucleus collisions at momenta between 2.8 and 400 GeV/c per nucleon have been compiled. The multiplicities for nucleon-nucleon interactions were constructed. The ratios of strange particle multiplicity to participant nucleon as well as to pion multiplicity are larger for central nucleus-nucleus collisions than for nucleon-nucleon interactions at all studied energies. The data at AGS energies suggest that the latter ratio saturates with increasing masses of the colliding nuclei. The strangeness to pion multiplicity ratio observed in nucleon-nucleon interactions increases with collision energy in the whole energy range studied. A qualitatively different behaviour is observed for central nucleus-nucleus collisions: the ratio rapidly increases when going from Dubna to AGS energies and changes little between AGS and SPS energies. This change in the behaviour can be related to the increase in the entropy production observed in central nucleus-nucleus collisions at the same energy range. The results are interpreted within a statistical approach. They are consistent with the hypothesis that the Quark Gluon Plasma is created at SPS energies, the critical collision energy being between AGS and SPS energies.     

Characteristics of alpha projectile fragments emission in interaction of nuclei with emulsion

The properties of the relativistic alpha fragments produced in interactions of ⁸⁴Kr at around 1 A GeV in nuclear emulsion are investigated. The experimental results are compared with the similar results obtained from various projectiles with emulsion interactions at different energies. The total, partial nuclear cross-sections and production rates of alpha fragmentation channels in relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions and their dependence on the mass number and initial energy of the incident projectile nucleus are investigated. The yields of multiple alpha fragments emitted from the interactions of projectile nuclei with the nuclei of light, medium and heavy target groups of emulsion-detector are discussed and they indicate that the projectile-breakup mechanism seems to be free from the target mass number. It is found that the multiplicity distributions of alpha fragments are well described by the Koba-Nielsen-Olesen (KNO) scaling presentation. The mean multiplicities of the freshly produced or newly created charged secondary particles, normally known as shower and secondary particles associated with target in the events where the emission of alpha fragments were accompanied by heavy projectile fragments having Z ≥ 3 seem to be constant as the alpha fragments multiplicity increases, and exhibit a behavior independent of the alpha fragments multiplicity.     

Interactions of 10.6 GeV/nucleon gold nuclei in nuclear emulsion

Stacks of nuclear emulsion were exposed at the Brookhaven AGS to a 10.6 GeV/n beam of gold nuclei in the BNL 868 experiment. A preliminary analysis of the main features of the interactions of these nuclei is reported here and compared with those observed previously at lower energies,E<1 GeV/n. The multiplicity and pseudo-rapidity distributions of the singly charged particles emitted both in central and in minimum bias samples of interactions have been analyzed in order to look for any non random effects indicative of the nuclear state during the interactions. The fragmentation characteristics of the gold projectiles appear to be different at 10.6 GeV/n from those at ≦1 GeV/n incident energy. Fission of the gold projectiles, which was relatively frequent at low energy, is almost entirely suppressed. Some of alpha particles from the projectile are emitted with very large transverse momenta. In gold-emulsion interactions the residual target nuclei are significantly smaller than in oxygen and sulfur interactions in emulsion.

     

Interior electron shells in superheavy nuclei

The interior electron shells for superheavy nuclei (90≦Z≦250) have been investigated. Their binding energies are tabulated together with the vacuum polarization corrections for the various levels.     

Analysis of variances of quasirapidities in collisions of gold nuclei with track-emulsion nuclei

A new method of an analysis of variances was developed for studying n-particle correlations of quasirapidities in nucleus-nucleus collisions for a large constant number n of particles. Formulas that generalize the results of the respective analysis to various values of n were derived. Calculations on the basis of simple models indicate that the method is applicable, at least for n ?? 100. Quasirapidity correlations statistically significant at a level of 36 standard deviations were discovered in collisions between gold nuclei and track-emulsion nuclei at an energy of 10.6 GeV per nucleon. The experimental data obtained in our present study are contrasted against the theory of nucleus-nucleus collisions.     

Pseudorapidity configurations in collisions between gold nuclei and track-emulsion nuclei

A method of parametrically invariant quantities is developed for studying pseudorapidity configurations in nucleus-nucleus collisions involving a large number of secondary particles. In simple models where the spectrum of pseudorapidities depends on three parameters, the shape of the spectrum may differ strongly from the shape of pseudorapidity configurations in individual events. Pseudorapidity configurations in collisions between gold nuclei of energy 10.6 GeV per nucleon and track-emulsion nuclei are contrasted against those in random stars calculated theoretically. An investigation of pseudorapidity configurations in individual events is an efficient method for verifying theoretical models.     

Multiparticle azimuthal correlations in central nucleus-nucleus collisions at high energy

Multiparticle azimuthal correlations in central nucleus-nucleus collisions at high energy are described by a simple formula. The calculated results are in agreement with the experimental data of carbon and oxygen induced interactions at Dubna energy. The comparison between the calculated results and experimental data shows that particles are emitted isotropically in the rest frame of the emission sources, and the emission sources have movements in momentum space.     

Analysis of charged-particle production in nucleus-nucleus interactions near and beyond the kinematical limit for free NN collisions within the FRITIOF model

The production of charged particles (π ^± mesons and protons) in nucleus-nucleus interactions at energies in the range 3.3–3.7 GeV/nucleon is considered. It is shown that the FRITIOF model adapted to moderately high energies reproduces satisfactorily the energy spectra of mesons emitted into the backward hemisphere in the laboratory frame, as well as their dependence on the masses of colliding nuclei. The FRITIOF model supplemented with the Reggeon model of nuclear breakup allows one to describe the soft part of the spectra of backward-emitted protons. Other approaches are required for describing the hard part of the spectra.     

Pion multiplicity in nuclear collisions

Data on the mean multiplicity of ^- produced in minimum bias proton-proton, proton-neutron and proton-nucleus interactions as well as central nucleus-nucleus collisions at momenta of 1.4–400 GeV/c per nucleon have been compiled and studied. The results for neutron-neutron and nucleon-nucleon interactions were then constructed. The dependence of the mean pion multiplicity in proton-nucleus interactions and central collisions of identical nuclei are studied as a function of the collision energy and the nucleus mass number. The number of produced pions per participant nucleon in central collisions of identical nuclei is found to be independent of the number of participants at a fixed incident momentum per nucleon. The mean multiplicity of negatively charged hadrons per participant nucleon for central nucleus-nucleus collisions is lower by about 0.12 than the corresponding multiplicity for nucleon-nucleon interactions atp _LAB 15 A·GeV/c, whereas the result at 200 A·GeV/c is above the corresponding nucleon-nucleon multiplicity. This may indicate change of the collision dynamics at high energy.     

Multiparticle azimuthal correlations in central nucleus-nucleus collisions at high energy

Multiparticle azimuthal correlations in central nucleus-nucleus collisions at high energy are described by a simple formula.The calculated results are in agreement with the experimental data of carbon and oxygen induced interactions at Dubna energy.The comparison between the calculated results and experimental data shows that particles are emitted isotropically in the rest frame of the emission sources,and the emission sources have movements in momentum space.     

Rotation of nuclei around a prolate symmetry axis at very high spin states

Classically one expects that nuclei rotate at very high spins (30≦I≦80) around an oblate symmetry axis. It is shown that strong shell correction energies yield for some nuclei at the end of the rare earth region and in the Pb-region yrast states for a rotation around a prolate symmetry axis. Like for the rotation around an oblate symmetry axis one expects also here yrast traps. The deformation energy surfaces for very high spin states are calculated by the Strutinsky method using a Saxon-Woods potential and by a microscopic method built on constraint Nilsson functions. Both methods agree qualitatively. Yrast traps are studied for these nuclei. It is shown that the MONA (Maximisation of theOverlap ofNuclear wave functions byAlignment) effect prefers at high spin rotation around the symmetry axis of a negative deformed shape at the beginning of the shell and of positive deformation at the end of the shell.     

Shell model calculations on natural parity states in 10≦ A≦14 nuclei

Shell model calculations of natural parity states in the 10≦A≦14 mass region have been performed by assuming an inert⁴He core with the residual interaction in the 1p shell only. The modified surface delta interaction (MSDI) has been used as an effective two-body interaction. The MSDI parameters as well as the single-particle binding energies have been deduced from a least-squares fit to experimentally known levels in, firstly, the seperate¹⁰B,¹¹B-C,¹²C,¹³C-N and¹⁴N nuclei, and secondly, the whole mass region 10≦A≦14. Multipole moments for ground states and M1 and E2 radiative widths for excited states have been calculated with the resultant wave functions.     

Fragmentation of S nuclei in photoemulsion at 3.7 AGeV

Data on fragmentation of ³²S nuclei in emulsion at 3.7 AGeV are presented. The fragmentations are studied in terms of the impact parameter of collisions of the ³²S projectiles with the different target nuclei. The fragmentation cross sections and the multiplicities of the different fragments are nearly independent of the sulfur incident energy. The fragmentation of ³²S nuclei into alpha isotopes are extensively studied. The transverse momentum spectra of the emitted fragments are fitted by two Maxwell-Boltzmann distributions of different average transverse momenta. The characteristics (multiplicities and P_t-distributions) of the He-fragments produced in the central collisions are different from those emitted in the peripheral collisions.     

Interaction and fusion of deformed nuclei

It is shown that the height of the barrier and its position, as well the depth of the capture well, are highly sensitive to the relative orientation of colliding strongly deformed nuclei. It is found that the fusion/capture cross sections and the nucleus-nucleus potential for heavy nuclear systems depend greatly on the magnitude and sign of the quadrupole deformation of nuclear surfaces. In order to describe correctly the cross section for the capture of heavy strongly deformed nuclei, it is necessary to perform averaging over all three angles that describe their relative orientation. Allowance for a hexadecapole deformation leads to a significant increase in the capture cross section for very heavy nucleus-nucleus systems.     

New exotic neutron-deficient nuclei nearN=82

Residual activities produced via³⁵Cl or³²S beams in thin¹¹²Sn and¹⁰⁶Cd targets have been studied by γ-ray and X-ray spectroscopy techniques behind a He-jet system. Mass identification of the products has been performed by coupling the He-jet to the medium current ion source of an isotope separator. Neutron-deficient nuclei with 137≦A≦144 have been identified. Decay schemes of several new isotopes as¹³⁸Eu (12s),¹⁴¹Gd (22s),¹⁴³Tb (12s and <17s),¹⁴⁴Dy (9s) and possibly¹⁴⁰Gd (11s) have been derived. New informations have also been provided for¹³⁷Sm (45s),¹³⁹Eu (24s) and¹⁴⁴Tb (5s). Data have been presented through systematics. The shapes of these nuclei and their trends versusN andZ have been analysed.     

Fragmentation and multifragmentation of 10.6A GeV gold nuclei

The experimental data on the interactions of 10.6A GeV gold nuclei in nuclear emulsions are analyzed with particular emphasis of target separation interactions and study of critical exponents. Charged fragment moments, conditional moments as well as two and three – body asymmetries of the fast moving projectile particles are determined in terms of the total charge remaining bound in the multiply charged projectile fragments. Some differences in the average yields of helium nuclei and heavier fragments are observed, which may be attributed to a target effect. However, two and three-body asymmetries and conditional moments indicate that the breakup mechanism of the projectile seems to be independent of target mass. We looked for evidence of critical point observable in finite nuclei by study the resulting charged fragments distributions. We have obtained the values for the critical exponents γ, β and τ and compare our results with those at lower energy experiment (1.0A GeV data). The values suggest that a phase transition like behavior, is observed. Received: 2 July 1998 / Revised version: 26 March 1999