Analysis of charged-particle production in nucleus-nucleus interactions near and beyond the kinematical limit for free NN collisions within the FRITIOF model

The production of charged particles (π ± mesons and protons) in nucleus-nucleus interactions at energies in the range 3.3–3.7 GeV/nucleon is considered. It is shown that the FRITIOF model adapted to moderately high energies reproduces satisfactorily the energy spectra of mesons emitted into the backward hemisphere in the laboratory frame, as well as their dependence on the masses of colliding nuclei. The FRITIOF model supplemented with the Reggeon model of nuclear breakup allows one to describe the soft part of the spectra of backward-emitted protons. Other approaches are required for describing the hard part of the spectra.