Light cluster production in central symmetric heavy-ion reactions from Fermi to GeV energies

TL;DR

This paper presents a comprehensive dataset on light cluster production in heavy-ion reactions across a wide energy range, highlighting a change in production mechanisms linked to a peak in deuteron yield.

Contribution

It provides a new, combined dataset for experimental and theoretical comparison to improve transport model descriptions of cluster production.

Findings

Identifies a peak in deuteron production at specific energies

Provides a dataset spanning 32 to 1930 A MeV for model validation

Highlights a change in cluster production mechanisms

Abstract

Correlations and clustering are of great importance in the study of the Nuclear Equation of State. Information on these items/aspects can be obtained using Heavy-Ion reactions which are described by dynamical theories. We propose a dataset that will be useful for improving the description of light cluster production in transport model approaches. The dataset combines published and new data and is presented in a form that allows direct comparison of the experiment with theoretical predictions. The dataset is ranging in bombarding energy from 32 to 1930 A MeV. In constructing this dataset we put in evidence the existence of a change in the light cluster production mechanism that corresponds to a peak in deuteron production.