Time scale of nuclear multifragmentation induced by light relativistic ions

Nuclear fragmentation in a d (4.4 GeV) + Au collision was studied with a 4π setup FASA on the external beam of the Dubna Nuclotron. The IMF–IMF relative angle correlation function was analyzed using the statistical model of multifragmentation (SMM) with the main goal of estimating the total time scale of the process. It was found that the fragmentation of the hot nucleus was ∼100 fm/c delayed in respect to the collision moment. (Some figures may appear in colour only in the online journal)