Nuclear flow in heavy ion collisions

Short overview of the flow phenomenon from the low upto relativistic heavy ion energies is given. Strict difference between spectator and participant flow is emphased. The latter is described by the modification of the nuclear blast model. Thermal source expanding in a plane perpendicular to the line connecting the centers of projectile and target is assumed. Observed dependences of squeeze-out, side-splash and of mean transverse-energy in relativistic heavy-ion collisions on the particle's mass are reproduced. Partioning of initial projectile energy into thermal and compressional parts in²⁰⁹Bi(1 GeV/u)+²⁰⁸Pb and¹⁹⁷Au(150–800 MeV/u)+¹⁹⁷Au collisions is discussed.Invited lecture given at the International School-Workshop Relativistic Heavy-Ion Physics, Prague (Czech Republic), 19–23 September 1994.Experimental data obtained at Bi+Pb collisions 6] are the result of the group effort. The contribution of V. Wagner, M. Pachr, Yu. G. Sobolev, R. Simon, S. Hlava, M. umbera as well as of my student R. Pleska, who carried out most of the fits, is gratefully acknowledged. This work was supported by the Granting Agency of the Czech Republic under contract No. 202/93/1144. A.K. gratefully acknowledges support from EC during his stay at KVI Groningen, where part of this work was done.