Two and three particle correlations in target fragmentation at relativistic nucleus–nucleus collisions

Abstract Two and three particle short-range correlations among the target evaporated fragments as well as the target recoil protons produced in 12 A GeV 4 He-, 3.7 A GeV 16 O-, 60 A GeV 16 O-, 1.7 A GeV 84 Kr- and 10.7 A GeV 197 Au-AgBr interactions are investigated in emission angle space and azimuthal angle space, respectively. The experimental data exhibit two and three particle correlations among the target fragments in emission angle space, which indicate the occurrence of so-called side splash phenomena and disfavor the evaporation model. In azimuthal angle space the data exhibit strong two particle correlations for both the target evaporated fragments and target recoil protons, and three particle correlations only for target recoil protons.