In intermediate energy heavy-ion projectile fragmentation the width of the transverse momentum distribution for a given fragment mass depends on the charge number of the fragment. The greater the charge number, the smaller is the width of the transverse momentum distribution. Such a charge effect may be explained in terms of a Coulomb final state interaction between the fragment and the protons dissociated from the projectile. With simple assumptions concerning the fragmentation process, analytic expressions for the momentum dispersions are obtained and are found to give good agreement with experimental results.

NUCLEAR REACTIONS Heavy ions. Projectile fragmentation. Intermediate energy. Coulomb final state interaction. Calculate ${{\sigma }_{\perp }}^2$, ${{\sigma }_{\parallel }}^2$.

• Received 30 September 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.25.2990