Interaction of 2.0-, 3.9-, and 29-GeVN14ions with U, Bi, Au, and Ag: Track detector study

Abstract

Fission induced by relativistic ${}_{}{}^{14}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{N}$ ions was compared with that induced by GeV protons. Although binary fission cross sections are considerably greater with ${}_{}{}^{14}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{N}$, most of the increases can be attributed to the larger total reaction cross sections ${\sigma }_R$. Ternary fission cross sections increase almost twofold beyond the increases in ${\sigma }_R$. With the highest energy ${}_{}{}^{14}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{N}$ used, 2.1 GeV/nucleon, very little momentum was transferred to the target nuclei in either fission or nonfission events (unpaired tracks); but with the 0.14- and 0.28-GeV/nucleon projectiles there is evidence of considerable transfer in both types of processes. Measurements were made with mica and Lexan track detectors. The results are related to other recent high-energy heavy-ion data obtained by various techniques.