Jets of nuclear matter from high energy heavy ion collisions

The nuclear fluid dynamical model with final thermal breakup is used to study the reaction 20Ne + 238U and 40Ar + 40Ca at E/sub LAB/ = 390 MeV/n. The calculated double differential cross sections d2sigma/dΩdE are in agreement with recent experimental data. However, it is shown that the azimuthal dependence of the triple differential distributions d3sigma/dEdcos sigma d phi, to be obtained from 4π exclusive experiments with single event analysis, can yield considerably deeper insight into the collision process and allow for snapshots of the reactions. Strongly correlated jets of nuclear matter are predicted. The jet angle, theta jet, relative to the beam axis increases from 00 for peripheral collisions to 900 for central collisions. A transition is predicted from a 1800 azimuthally correlated two jet structure at intermediate impact parameters to a doughnut-shaped azimuthally symmetric distribution for central collisions. The figure shows the azimuthal dependence of the triple differential rapidity distribution (left) and the impact parameter dependence of the angle of the jet axis, theta/sub jet/ relative to the beam axis