Total neutron multiplicities as a measure of the violence in heavy ion reactions

Energy spectra and multiplicities of neutrons from the reaction system 838 MeV³²S projectiles on¹⁹⁷Au have been measured in coincidence with binary fragmentations. Neutron detection was performed simultaneously in a 4 scintillator sphere and by time-of-flight. The linear momentum transfer (LMT) and the excitation energyE _CN ^* are deduced with the folding angle technique. Neutron multiplicities are compared for consistency and discussed as a measure of LMT andE _CN ^* . The saturation ofM ₄ (E _CN ^* ) beyondE _CN ^* 400 MeV seen for several systems of high fissility (x0.8) is attributed to the spreading of the folding angle distribution and the increasing competition of charged particle evaporation.