Fragmentation of nuclei as a function of centrality of collision in interactions of gold projectiles at 10.6 A GeV

We have studied the fragmentation of light (C/N/O) and heavy (Ag/Br) nuclei of emulsion in collisions with gold projectiles at 10.6 A GeV and the frag mentation of these gold nuclei in collisions with hydrogen, (C/N/O) and (Ag /Br) nuclei. The analysis was restricted to the investigation of the number of fragments and in some cases the total charge of fragments as a function of the centrality of collisions with nuclei of different masses. We observ e a decrease in the number of target fragments with increasing centrality f or interactions of projectiles with masses comparable or greater than the m ass of the target nucleus. As the collision becomes more central a signific ant number of participating protons from the target nucleus get enough mome ntum to become relativistic due to intranuclear interactions. These results have been compared with the predictions of the RQMD model. (C) 2001 Elsevi er Science B.V. All rights reserved.