PERCOLATION AND FRAGMENTATION OF EXCITED ATOMIC-NUCLEI

We present an analysis which aims at explaining the similarities (and differences) which exist between a simple bond percolation process on a cubic lattice and the fragmentation of highly excited atomic nuclei. Emphasis is placed on discussing percolation in terms of concepts whi ch are well known in nuclear physics such as e-value and particle emis sion thresholds. Similarities and differences between the bond percola tion process and nuclear fragmentation are discussed. An approximate e xpression for the microcanonical partition sum (number of microstates) corresponding to any given percolation partition is shown to provide a good starting point for predicting fragment size distributions.