Mass transfer: a deciding factor for the multiplicity of an event in deep inelastic collisions

Intermediate state of the three and four-pronged events is investigated in the reaction 208Pb + 197Au at beam energy 11.67 MeV/u. Multiprong events are analysed numerically using an empirical mass-dependent velocity-range relation. Using the measured three-dimensional coordinates of correlated tracks, it is possible to determine the quantities such as mass transfer and total kinetic energy loss. These quantities are then used to study the intermediate state of the reaction. It has been observed that mass transfer and total kinetic energy loss at the first step of the reaction decides the multiplicity of an event at the second stage of the sequential fission process. (authors)