Emission of relativistic heavy fragments at wide angles from the interaction of 58 GeV O ions with thick copper target

Relativistic projectile Fragmentation has been studied with track detection methods. Heavy fragments produced in the interaction of 58 GeV O-16 with thick copper target have been investigated using 10 cm thick stacks of PADC (sometimes called CR-39) nuclear track detectors placed at 25 degrees with respect to the direction of the incoming beam. A computer-controlled automatic scanning system was employed to "trace" the etched damaged trails in respective detectors of the PADC stack. Heavy reaction products producing "through-tracks" in consecutive sheets of 0.82 mm of PADC detectors were observed. The spatial distribution of these tracks with end points at various depths have been recorded. After calibration it has been concluded that these "through-tracks" should be due to relativistic O, N and C. These fragments are emitted from the interaction of 58 GeV O-16 ions with thick copper target, their actual number is very tiny. The differential angular cross-section for their formation was found to decrease with increasing angle with respect to the incident beam direction. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.