Kolloquium GSI, May 13, 2003
High-resolution experiments on projectile fragments ---
a new approach to the properties of hot and dense nuclear matter.
Karl-Heinz Schmidt, GSI
Abstract: The knowledge of static and dynamic bulk properties of nuclear matter like the viscosity, the excitation of the
nucleon in the nuclear medium and those described by the equation of state far from the conditions we meet in our
terrestrial environment is a key for understanding the evolution of the early universe, the physics of supernovae
explosions and the stability limit of neutron stars. Relevant experimental information can be deduced from
nucleus-nucleus collisions, which are however strongly influenced by complex dynamics and non-equilibrium processes. Most
investigations have concentrated on the detection of nucleons, produced particles and very light fragments in
full-acceptance experiments. In spite of very important progress, our understanding is still incomplete and some of
the results are contradictory. Recent high-precision experiments on the nuclide distribution and the longitudinal
momentum of projectile-spectator residues from relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions with the
high-resolution magnetic spectrometer FRS will be presented. They reveal that important specific information, e.g. on
the evolution of the isospin degree of freedom in nuclear reactions and on the equation of state of nuclear matter can
be extracted, which complements the actual knowledge in this field.
Transparencies in WORD
and PDF format.
