The angular momentum dependence of complex fragment emission

Abstract Large fragment (A>4) production at high angular momentum is studied via the reaction, 200 MeV 45 Sc + 65 Cu. Comparisons of the fragment yields from this reaction (high angular momentum) to those from 93 Nb + Be (low angular momentum) are used to verify the strong angular momentum dependence of large fragment production predicted by equilibrium models. Details of the coincident γ-ray distributions not only confirm a rigidly rotating intermediate but also indicate that the widths of the primary L-wave distributions decrease with increasing symmetry in the decay channel. These data are used to test the asymmetry and L-wave dependence of emission barriers calculated from a rotating, finite range corrected, liquid drop model.