What can HELIOS tell us on phase transition of nuclear matter?

Transverse energy (E/sub t/) distributions and P/sub t/ spectra of negative particles and photons measured by the HELIOS experiment in 200 GeVN and 60 GeVN oxygen-nucleus reactions are presented. The E/sub t/ distributions are compared to a geometrical parametrization and a Montereverse arrowCarlo calculation, particle spectra to the proton-nucleus reaction case. The comparisons show that yet the results can be understood without assuming quark-gluon plasma formation. A discussion is made based on these comparisons together with an estimate of the energy density of the reaction, attempting to know how close we are to the detection of a phase transition of nuclear matter. 21 refs., 15 figs