[en] Heavy ion interactions in nuclear emulsions induced by 2 GeV/nucleon ¹⁶O have been studied. The reaction cross sections determined are 337(+56-85)mb, 1007(+175-174)mb and 2180(+304-231)mb for interactions with H, CNO and AgBr, respectively. Energy-, angular- and transverse momentum distributions of non-relativistic protons (E<400 MeV) and all He nuclei have been analysed. Statistical models assuming small correlations among nucleon momenta can account for the main part of the He emission. The energy- and transverse momentum distributions of protons, emitted from light as well as heavy target nuclei indicate that intranuclear nucleon-nucleon scattering is the most important proton emission process. The angular distributions of both high energy protons and high energy He nuclei emitted from the target nucleus differ considerably in central and peripheral ¹⁶O-AgBr interactions. In order to explain the angular distributions of high energy protons and He nuclei in events with extremely small impact parameter, non-statistical phenomena, possibly hydrodynamic shock wave emission, must be considered. (Auth.)