Phase transitions in highly excited nuclei

Author(s): Budzanowski, A; Karnaukhov, VA; Oeschler, H; Avdeyev, SP; Rodionov, VK; Kirakosyan, VV; Simonenko, AV; Rukoyatkin, PA; Karcz, W; Skwirczynska, I; Kuzmin, EA; Chulkov, LV; Norbeck, E; Botvina, AS | Abstract: Phase transition in highly excited nucleus is treated in terms of thermo-dynamics of microensembles. The emission of intermediate mass fragments from pure thermally excited heavy nucleus 197Au is an indication of the liquid to fog phase transition. Evidence of the spinodal decomposition of the heavy nuclear system is found and its relation to the multisaddle transition configuration and freeze-out state is presented.