INDRA collaboration

Eur. Phys. J. A 21, 293–301 (2004)

Preprint on arXiv

Low-energy Pi+ (EPi < 35 MeV) from 12 C + 197 Au collisions at incident energies from 300 to 1800 MeV per nucleon were detected with the Si-Si(Li)-CsI(Tl) calibration telescopes of the INDRA multidetector. The inclusive angular distributions are approximately isotropic, consistent with multiple rescattering in the target spectator. The multiplicity correlations of the low-energy pions and of energetic protons ( Ep > 150 MeV) with intermediate-mass fragments were determined from the measured coincidence data. The deduced correlation functions 1 + R 1.3 for inclusive event samples reflect the strong correlations evident from the common impact parameter dependence of the considered multiplicities. For narrow impact parameter bins (based on charged-particle multiplicity), the correlation functions are close to unity and do not indicate strong additional correlations. Only for pions at high particle multiplicities (central collisions) a weak anticorrelation is observed, probably due to a limited competition between these emissions. Overall, the results are consistent with the equilibrium assumption made in statistical multifragmentation scenarios. Predictions obtained with intranuclear-cascade models coupled to the Statistical Multifragmentation Model are in good agreement with the experimental data.