A unified model for dissipative heavy-ion collisions

The model which is outlined in the following is intended to describe collisions between nuclei whose relative velocity is much smaller than the Fermi velocity. Nuclear matter then is assumed to behave not much differently from ordinary nuclei, which means that the colliding system still forms a leptodermous object of uniform density distribution in the interior. Therefore, the macroscopic appearance of the nuclear system is characterized by a family of shapes with sharp surfaces, which are restricted to axial symmetry. The volume conserving shapes are uniquely determined by three macroscopic degrees of freedom which are a measure of the distance between the nuclei, of the neck and deformation, and of the mass asymmetry. In addition there are three rotational degrees of freedom for the intrinsic and relative rotation of the di-nuclear complex. (orig./HSI)