Two-neutron correlations at small relative momenta in ^40Ar + ^197Au collisions at 60 MeV/nucleon

2000

Two-neutron correlation functions are measured in the 40Ar + 197Au reaction at 60 MeV/nucleon to study the space-time characteristics of neutron emitting sources. The source temperatures and velocities are deduced by fitting the single-neutron energy spectra with a three-source model. A comparison of the correlation data with the predictions of the model of moving sources and with the dynamical Landau-Vlasov model suggests the relevance of a multisource description. Particular care has been paid to the influence of the relative source abundance on the shape of the correlation function.