Eur. Phys. J. A (2006) 30: 81-108
https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2006-10109-6

Dynamics and Thermodynamics with Nuclear Degrees of Freedom

Correlations and characterization of emitting sources

¹ Sezione di Catania, INFN, 64 Via Santa Sofia, I-95123, Catania, Italy
² GANIL, IN2P3-CNRS, BP 5027, F-14076, CAEN Cedex 5, France
³ School of Technology and Society, Malmö University, SE-20506, Malmö, Sweden

^* e-mail: verde@ct.infn.it;

Received: 24 May 2006
Accepted: 26 July 2006
Published online: 16 October 2006

Abstract

Dynamical and thermal characterizations of excited nuclear systems produced during the collisions between two heavy ions at intermediate incident energies are presented by means of a review of experimental and theoretical work performed in the last two decades. Intensity interferometry, applied to both charged particles (light particles and intermediate mass fragments) and to uncharged radiation (gamma rays and neutrons) has provided relevant information about the space-time properties of nuclear reactions. The volume, lifetime, density and relative chronology of particle emission from decaying nuclear sources have been extensively explored and have provided valuable information about the dynamics of heavy-ion collisions. Similar correlation techniques applied to coincidences between light particles and complex fragments are also presented as a tool to determine the internal excitation energy of excited primary fragments as it appears in secondary-decay phenomena.