Morphing of the Dissipative Reaction Mechanism

Important trends in the evolution of heavy-ion reaction mechanisms with bombarding energy and impact parameter are reviewed. Essential features of dissipative reactions appear preserved at E/A = 50-62 MeV, such as dissipative orbiting and multi-nucleon exchange. The relaxation of the A/Z asymmetry with impact parameter is slow. Non-equilibrium emission of light particles and clusters is an important process accompanying the evolution of the mechanism. Evidence is presented for a new mechanism of statistical cluster emission from hot, metastable primary reaction products, driven by surface entropy. These results suggest a plausible reinterpretation of multi-fragmentation. (authors)