On the peripheral nature of the target fragmentation phenomena

The mechanism of target fragmentation phenomena is explored in a statistical model. It is shown that peripheral interaction arising out of large impact parameter can describe the mass yield distribution of the products from the fragmentation of⁶³Cu by the bombardment ofp,¹²C and⁴⁰Ar with energies of 28, 25 and 80 GeV respectively. Important insights into the dynamics is obtained from these reactions as the target remaining the same, the projectile mass varies by forty units and the incident energy per nucleon by fourteen units. Surface properties of the target and projectile are shown to play an important role. Other features like limiting fragmentation and projectile dependence are also borne out in this study.