Electromagnetic Dissociation ofAu197by Relativistic Heavy Ions

Abstract

Electromagnetic dissociation of ${}_{}{}^{197}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Au}$ target nuclei by the Coulomb field of relativistic heavy ions (RHI) was inferred from measurements of ${}_{}{}^{197}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Au}(\mathrm{RHI},X){}_{}{}^{196}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Au}$ cross sections. RHI represents 2.1-GeV/nucleon $p$, ${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$, or ${}_{}{}^{20}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ne}$, 1.8-GeV/nucleon ${}_{}{}^{40}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ar}$, or 1.7-GeV/nucleon ${}_{}{}^{56}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Fe}$ projectiles. The experimental cross sections in excess of the estimated nuclear contributions are well described by use of the Weizsäcker-Williams method for calculating the electromagnetic dissociation contributions. Electromagnetic-dissociation calculations are given for ${}_{}{}^{197}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Au}$ projectiles at energies expected for the new generation of heavy-ion colliders.