UNIFIED DESCRIPTION FOR THE NUCLEAR-EQUATION OF STATE AND FRAGMENTATION IN HEAVY-ION COLLISIONS

We propose a model that provides a unified description of the nuclear equation of state and fragmentations. The equation of state is evaluated in the Bragg-Williams as well as in the Bethe-Peierls approximations and compared with that in the mean field theory with Skyrme interactions. The model shows a liquid-gas type phase transition. The nuclear fragment distributions are studied for different densities at finite temperatures. Power law behavior for fragments is observed at the critical point. The study of the fragment distribution and the second moment S2 shows that the thermal critical point coincides with the percolation point at the critical density. High temperature behavior of the model shows characteristics of chemical equilibrium. © 1995 The American Physical Society.