The calculation of the critical exponent $\tau$ is crucial in the determination of critical phenomena in heavy ion reactions. This, however, is obscured by the unavoidable mixing of critical and noncritical events that results in nonclean signals. Here we report on a method to extract critical events from a set of mixed ones. In comparing to the traditional one, based on the so-called Campi plot, a distinct advantage is found.

• Received 27 March 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.64.027602