TOTAL CHARGE-CHANGING CROSS-SECTIONS OF STABLE AND NEUTRON-DEFICIENT SECONDARY PROJECTILES AROUND A=60

Total nuclear charge-changing cross sections sigma(Delta Z) in a CH2 t arget were measured for 54 isotopically identified secondary beams aro und A = 60 produded from a 1A . GeV Kr-86 beam via projectile fragment ation. With secondary beams between T-Z = 1/2 and -3, the isospin depe ndence of sigma(Delta Z) was investigated systematically. Contrary to the predictions of so-called overlap formulae, the sigma(Delta Z) valu es are not a function of the projectile mass alone, but are found to d epend on the projectile isospin. A comparison of the data with the pre dictions of the statistical abrasion model reveals that this behaviour can be understood by the combined influence of the abrasion and the a blation phase in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. On the basis of th is improved understanding, previous findings of anomalously large cros s sections of secondary-reaction products are discussed.