From the simulation of intermediate energy heavy ion collisions by using th
e isospin dependent quantum molecular dynamics (IQMD), we have investigated
the isospin effects on the multifragmentation process in intermediate ener
gy heavy ion collisions: reverse reactions Xe-120 + Ca-40, Cd-120+ Ar-40, K
r-76+ Ca-40 and Zn-76+ Ar-40. To describe isospin effects appropriately, QM
D was modified properly. The density dependent mean field contains correct
isospin term including symmetry energy and Coulomb potential. The in-medium
n-n cross section is different for neuron-neutron (proton-proton) and neut
ron-proton collisions. And finally Pauli blocking was counted by distinguis
hing neutrons and protons. In addition, the initial condition of the ground
state of two colliding nuclei also contains isospin information. The calcu
lated results show a prominent isospin effects for the multifragmentation p
rocess among the colliding systems with different neutron or proton excess.
The correlation between N-imf and N-c for neutron-deficient systems are al
ways larger than those for neutron-rich systems in intermediate energy regi
on for all of colliding systems studied here, and the mechanism causing the
above isospin effects is mainly due to the fact that the mean n-n cross se
ction for the neutron-rich system is smaller than that of neutron-deficient
system. Thus one can combine experimental studies and theoretical simulati
ons to investigate the isospin effect of multifragmentation process and to
extract the information on isospin dependence of in-medium n-n cross sectio
n from the correlation between N-imf and N-c.