Azimuthal correlations of projectile and target fragments in collisions between gold nuclei of energy 10.6 GeV per nucleon and emulsion nuclei

Intra-and intergroup azimuthal correlations of projectile and target fragments are found in collisions between gold and emulsion nuclei. The statistical significance of these correlations is high. The methodological distortions associated with the measurement errors are investigated in detail and are taken into account.     

Yields of projectile fragments in sulphur-emulsion interactions at 3.7 A GeV

This work presents the basic characteristics of singly,doubly and heavily charged projectile fragments(PFs) emitted in inelastic interactions of ~(32)S ions with photo-emulsion nuclei at Dubna energy(3.7 A GeV).Our experimental data are compared with the corresponding data for other projectiles at the same incident energy.The study of mean multiplicities of different charged PFs against the projectile mass shows a power-law relationship.The multiplicity distributions of singly and doubly charged PFs have been fitted well with a Gaussian distribution function.The yields of PFs broken up from the interactions of ~(32)S projectile nuclei with different target nuclei are studied.The beam energy dependence in terms of the various order moments is studied as well.     

Dissociation of 10C nuclei in a track nuclear emulsion at an energy of 1.2 GeV per nucleon

The charge topology in the fragmentation of ¹⁰C nuclei in a track nuclear emulsion at an energy of 1.2 GeV per nucleon is studied. In the coherent dissociation of ¹⁰C nuclei, about 82% of events are associated with the channel ¹⁰C → 2α+ 2p. The angular distributions and correlations of product fragments are presented for this channel. It is found that among ¹⁰C → 2α+ 2p events, about 30% are associated with the process in which dissociation through the ground state of the unstable ⁹Be_g.s. nucleus is followed by ⁸Be_g.s. + p decays.     

Peripheral fragmentation of 8B nuclei in nuclear emulsion at an energy of 1.2 GeV per nucleon

The results obtained by studying the charge topology of fragments produced in the peripheral dissociation of relativistic ⁸B nuclei in emulsion are presented. Fifty-five events of the peripheral dissociation of a ⁸B nucleus in events where there was no production of target-nucleus fragments and mesons (“white stars”) were selected. A leading contribution of the ⁸B → ⁷Be + p mode, which has the lowest energy threshold, was revealed on the basis of these events. Information about the branching ratios for dissociation modes characterized by a higher multiplicity was obtained. The dissociation of the ⁷Be core in ⁸B bears resemblance to the dissociation of a free ⁷Be nucleus. The transverse-momentum distributions of fragments originating from the ⁸B → ⁷Be + p dissociation mode were obtained. For these distributions, a small mean value of 〈P*_T〉 = 52 ± 5 MeV/c in the c.m. frame suggests a low binding energy of the outer proton in the ⁸B nucleus. An indication of a strong azimuthal correlation of the fragments ⁷Be and p was found.     

Two source emission behavior of projectile fragments alpha in 84Kr interactions at around 1 GeV per nucleon

The emission of projectile fragments alpha has been studied in ⁸⁴Kr interactions with nuclei of the nuclear emulsion detector composition at relativistic energy below 2 GeV per nucleon. The angular distribution of projectile fragments alpha in terms of transverse momentum could not be explained by a straight and clean-cut collision geometry hypothesis of Participant — Spectator (PS) Model. Therefore, it is assumed that projectile fragments alpha were produced from two separate sources that belong to the projectile spectator region differing drastically in their temperatures. It has been clearly observed that the emission of projectile fragments alpha are from two different sources. The contribution of projectile fragments alpha from contact layer or hot source is a few percent of the total emission of projectile fragments alphas. Most of the projectile fragments alphas are emitted from the cold source.     

Yields and transverse momenta of the 6Li fragments in the emulsion at 4.5 GeV/c per nucleon

We present the results of the study of interaction of the relativistic ⁶Li nucleus with the momentum 4.5 GeV/c per nucleon with the photoemulsion. Yields of the ¹H (³He) and ²H (⁴He) isotopes due to the fragmentation of ⁶Li are found to be almost equal. Cross sections for the charge exchange and pickup reactions are found to be σ_exch=9±2 mb. The distributions of the fragment transverse momenta projected onto the emulsion plane are used to obtain the nucleon Fermi momentum of ⁶Li, P_F, this value being equal to 129±8 MeV/c. The high momentum component in the transverse momentum distributions of ³He and ⁴He isotopes is observed. Received: 4 August 1997     

Temperature parameters in the fragmentation of carbon ions at the energy of 0.6 GeV/nucleon

Momentum distributions of nuclear fragments at an angle of 3.5° in the interaction of 0.6-GeV/nucleon carbon ions with a beryllium target are measured in the FRAGM experiment on the ITEP-TWAC facility. The measured spectra are used for testing predictions of four ion–ion interaction models: BC, QMD, INCL, and LAQGSM03.03, and for comparison with the analytical parameterization within the thermodynamic concept of fragmentation.     

Fission and fragmentation of 208Pb nuclei in collisions with gold nuclei at an energy of 158 GeV per nucleon

The fission and fragmentation of ultrarelativistic ²⁰⁸Pb nuclei in collisionswith gold nuclei were studied by using a beam from the SPS accelerator at CERN at an energy of 158 GeV per nucleon. The detectors of the target area of the NA45/CERES spectrometer were used in respective measurements. The value obtained for the fission cross section is 301 ± 44 mb, where about 77% of events stem from the electromagnetic interaction of colliding nuclei, while the remaining part is the contribution of peripheral nuclear interactions. The spallation of lead nuclei that involves the formation of heavy fragments occurs only in collisions where the impact parameter satisfies the condition b > 10 fm. A complete disintegration of lead nuclei to intermediate-mass fragments and light particles is observed in some peripheral collisions.     

Multifragmentation of Gold nuclei in the interactions with photoemulsion nuclei at 10.7 GeV/nucleon

Recent results from the EMU-01/12 collaboration are presented for 10.7 GeV/nucleon gold nuclei interactions in emulsion. The distributions of “bound” charge (Z _bound , Z _b3 ), multiplicity distributions, fragment correlations and fluctuations are discussed. The data are compared to similar results obtained on the ALADIN setup at 600 MeV/nucleon. It is shown that multifragmentation of gold nuclei at high and intermediate energies has common features. It is also obtained that the IMFs have reduced multiplicity at high energies. The data are analyzed within the scope of the statistical model of multifragmentation. This model requires the following predetermined model ingredients: mass, charge and excitation energy of nuclear residuals. The simple estimation method of these characteristics is proposed in the framework of the Glauber approach. It is shown that the multifragmentation model reproduces qualitatively the present data. A dramatic discrepancy between the predicted and experimental yield of two charged fragments is found. The evolution of transverse momentum of fragments as a function of Z _bound is presented. It is shown that the model greatly underpredicts the transverse momentum of fragments. It is interpreted as evidence of a strong radial flow of spectator fragments.     

Intra- and intergroup azimuthal correlations of particles in the interaction of gold nuclei with silver and bromine nuclei of track emulsions at the projectile energy of 10.6 GeV per nucleon

Inter- and intragroup azimuthal correlations of target and projectile fragments and of shower particles in the interactions between gold nuclei of energy 10.6 GeV per nucleon and silver and bromine nuclei of a track emulsion are studied at intermediate values of the impact parameter. The asymmetry index β′₁ and the collinearity index β′₂ of groups’ asymmetry vectors are used to study azimuthal correlations between two and three groups of particles. The interplay of effects of intra- and intergroup azimuthal particle correlations is investigated.     

Strange particle production in nuclear collisions at 200 GeV per nucleon

Multiplicities and spectra of strange particles ( andK ^– produced in central³²S+S,³²S+Ag and³²S+Au collisions at 200 GeV per nucleon are presented and compared with data on strange particle production in protonnucleus and nucleon-nucleon interactions. It is shown that strangeness production in³²S+Ag collisions is enhanced by a factor of two, similar to that found previously in central³²S+S collisions.     

Production of baryon resonances in collisions of 4He nuclei with carbon nuclei at a momentum of 4.2 GeV/c per nucleon

Under conditions of 4π geometry, Δ⁰-and Δ⁺⁺-resonance production in collisions of ⁴He nuclei with carbon nuclei at a momentum of 4.2 GeV/c per nucleon was investigated for the first time. The resonance masses and widths are estimated by analyzing the experimental and background invariant-mass distributions of (pπ ^±) pairs. Contributions to pion production from Δ-resonance decays, as well as from direct pion production, are determined. The results are compared with corresponding data obtained for CC collisions at the same primary momentum of 4.2 GeV/c per nucleon. By and large, the results obtained here comply with the existence of a collective mechanism of delta-isobar excitation in nuclei.     

Azimuthal correlations of secondary particles in collisions between gold nuclei and track-emulsion nuclei at a gold-nucleus energy of 10.6 GeV per nucleon

Charged secondaries from collisions of gold nuclei with track-emulsion nuclei showed azimuthal correlations consisting in (i) the asymmetric emission of projectile and target fragments in opposite directions and (ii) an azimuthal quasicollinearity of shower particles in individual events. The measurement errors were investigated and taken into account. The experimental data in question can be interpreted within the model of Gaussian distributions of transverse momentum components.     

Neutron production in collisions between carbon nuclei of energy 2 GeV per nucleon and carbon,aluminum, copper,cadmium, and lead nuclei

Double-differential cross sections for neutron production were measured by the time-of-flight method for the interactions between carbon nuclei of energy 2 GeV per nucleon and carbon, aluminum, copper, cadmium, and lead nuclei. These measurements were performed for angles of 30°, 53°, and 90° in the neutron-energy range fromseveral hundred keVunits to 300MeV. The phenomenologicalmodel of four moving sources was used as a basis in analyzing experimental results and in estimating the contribution to neutron emission from various reaction stages. The temperature parameters determined from the slope of the neutron energy spectra proved to be 22 ± 2 MeV for a hot source (fireball) and 4.5 ± 0.3 MeV for the stage of thermal fragmentation of highly excited heavy nuclear residues. The relative contribution of these two sources to the total neutron yield is independent of the type of the target nucleus and is about 42%, on average.     

Transverse momenta of fragments of relativistic sulfur and lead nuclei after their interaction with track-emulsion nuclei at energies of 200 and 160 GeV per nucleon

Transverse-momentum distributions of doubly charged fragments of sulfur and lead nuclei having energies of 200 and 160 GeV per nucleon and interacting with nuclei in a track emulsion were investigated. No trace of compression or heating of nuclear matter in the interaction of these nuclei with track-emulsion nuclei was revealed experimentally. Transverse momenta of fragments of relativistic nuclei were found to obey a normal distribution that corresponds to a degenerate momentum distribution of nucleons in the ground state of a nucleus before its interaction with a track-emulsion nucleus. There is no piece of evidence that fragments of relativistic nuclei originate from some excited state of an intermediate nucleus. This picture of the fragmentation of relativistic nuclei complies with the naive parton model proposed by Feynman and Gribov. In summary, the fragmentation of relativistic nuclei at energies of 160 and 200 GeV per nucleon is cold and fast.     

Some general characteristics of Si-emulsion interactions at 4.5 GeV/c per nucleon

We present our observations on the salient features of the interactions produced by ²⁸Si nuclei of 4.5 GeV/c per nucleon in photographic emulsions. The results on the inelastic mean-free path and interaction cross section are presented and compared with the predictions of a geometrical model. Measurements on the multiplicity distribution, mean multiplicities, multiplicity correlations and multiplicity scaling of charged secondary particles are studied. A comparison with other available data at same/nearby incident momentum per nucleon from proton-nucleus and carbon-nucleus collisions is presented in order to examine the dependence on the projectile mass.     

Yield of 8Be nuclei originating from 10B fragmentation in photoemulsion at an energy of 1 GeV per nucleon

The fraction of the channel ¹⁰B → ⁸Be → ² α is estimated at (18 ± 3)%. The constants of the distributions with respect to the alpha-particle emission angle and the angle between the alpha-particle momenta are found to be 20.5 ± 0.7 and 31.7 ± 2.0 mrad, respectively. These values agree with the results of the calculations performed prior to our experiment under the assumption of the limiting fragmentation of relativistic nuclei.     

Yields of hydrogen and helium isotopes in fragmentation of carbon ions with the energy of 0.3 GeV/nucleon

Data on the yields of hydrogen isotopes (p, d, t) and helium isotopes (from ³He to ⁸He) at the angle of 3.5° in fragmentation of the carbon ions with the energy of 0.3 GeV/nucleon on the beryllium target are reported. The momentum spectra of the fragments in the rest frame of the fragmenting nucleus are measured in a considerably larger momentum range than in the previous experiments.