Emission temperatures from the decay of particle-unstable complex nuclei

Relative populations of particle-unstable states were measured for complex fragments emitted in the reaction 14N + Ag at E/A = 35 MeV by using a position sensitive high resolution hodoscope. Experimental population probabilities of particle-unstable states were extracted by fitting the coincidence spectra of the decay products by an appropriate R-matrix or Breit-Wigner formalism. According to thermal models, the populations of excited states at freezeout are expected to follow a Boltzmann distribution weighted by the emission temperature of the system. Tests of this freezeout assumption were made by comparing the experimental population to the predictions of statistical calculations. Extensive statistical calculation which include the effect of sequential feeding from heavier particle unstable nuclei were performed to estimate the population probabilities and the ratios of population probabilities indicate emission temperatures of about 3-4 MeV. But a detailed comparison for individual fragments for a calculation with Tem = 4 MeV reveals that about half of the measured population probabilities and one third of the ratios of the population probabilities differ significantly from the predictions of statistical calculations. Calculations which include rotational effects could not satisfactorily account for this discrepancy. These results suggest a possible breakdown of the assumption of local thermal equilibrium at freezeout