Fragment Formation and Phase Transitions in Heavy Ion Collisions

We investigate the thermodynamical properties of nuclear matter in heavy ion collisions, in particular with respect to questions of thermodynamical instability, phase transitions and fragmentation. For this we analyze results of relativistic transport calculations of Au+Au collisons at intermediate energies, separately for spectator and participant matter. On one hand, we determine local thermodynamical variables from the analysis of the local momentum distribution; on the other, we analyze fragment energy spectra in a blast model scenario. We find that the spectator represents an instable, equilibrized fragmenting source, while in the participant no such common source can be identified. Our results compare well with experimental determinations of temperatures and flow velocities.