Proton production in 16Op collisions at 3.25 GeV/c per nucleon

The momentum features of protons originating as fragments from ¹⁶Op interactions at 3.25 GeV/c per nucleon are analyzed for the first time under conditions of 4π geometry. It is found that the mechanisms of the production of all protons traveling in the forward direction in the rest frame of the fragmenting nucleus (with the exception of evaporated protons) do not depend on either the primary energy or the target-nucleus type, this regularity being quite universal for the formation of such protons. It is shown that there is a strong correlation between the shape of the momentum spectrum of protons appearing as fragments from such interactions, especially slow protons, and the degree of the excitation of the fragmenting nucleus.