Percolation in finite space - a picture of nuclear fragmentation

The fragmentation of highly excited nuclear systems induced by energetic heavy ion collisions is a rather complex process which might be guided by different mechanisms in different domains of bombarding energy. The question arises, however, whether there exists some 'universality principle' in all fragmentation phenomena (including eventually also the fragmentation of macroscopic objects, like asteroids), similar to the universality studied in the context of critical phenomena in phase transitions. (orig./BBOE)