Dynamical aspects of intermediate-energy nucleus-nucleus collisions

The Uehling-Uhlenbeck collision term is derived from coupled equations of motion for the one-body density matrix and the two-body correlation function as obtained from the density-matrix hierarchy. The respective approximations introduced are related with energy and momentum conservation in single nucleon-nucleon collisions and found numerically to be approximately valid for energetic nucleon-nucleon collisions in case of intermediate energy heavy-ion reactions. Primary collision times of nucleons in the dinuclear reaction zone are calculated for various laboratory energies and the approach to local equilibrium is followed in time. Average relaxation times for highly excited finite nuclear systems are found to be considerably shorter than for related infinite nuclear matter problems, however, still too large as to allow for the formation of hot spots in nuclei.