Correlation in formation of 8Be nuclei and α-particles in fragmentation of relativistic nuclei

In the events of peripheral dissociation of relativistic nuclei in the nuclear track emulsion, it is possible to study the emerging ensembles of He and H nuclei, including those from decays of unstable Be-8 and B-9 nuclei, as well as the Hoyle state. These extremely short-lived states are identified by invariant masses calculated from the angles in 2 alpha-pairs, 2 alpha p- and 3 alpha-triplets in the approximation of conservation of momentum per nucleon of the primary nucleus. In the same approach, it is possible to search for more complex states. This paper explores the correlation between the formation of Be-8 nuclei and the multiplicity of accompanying alpha-particles in the dissociation of relativistic O-16, Ne-22, Si-28, and Au-197 nuclei. On the above basis, estimates of this correlation are presented for the unstable B-9 nucleus and the Hoyle state. The enhancement in the Be-8 contribution to dissociation with the alpha-particle multiplicity has been found. Decays of B-9 nuclei and Hoyle states follow the same trend. (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.

Automated summary

This paper investigates the peripheral dissociation of relativistic nuclei in nuclear track emulsion, focusing on the emerging ensembles of He and H nuclei, as well as the correlation between Be-8 nucleus formation and the multiplicity of accompanying alpha-particles. The study reveals an enhancement in the Be-8 contribution to dissociation with the alpha-particle multiplicity, and a consistent trend in the decays of B-9 nuclei and Hoyle states.