Model-independent tracking of criticality signals in nuclear multifragmentation data

Abstract

We look for signals of a phase transition in multifragmentation reactions using the model-independent theory of universal fluctuations. It is show that, in central collisions of symmetric systems around the Fermi energy, the fluctuations of the size of the largest fragment in each event can be used two energy- and mass-dependent fragmentation regimes, which may be interpreted as ordered and disordered phases of an aggregation-like phenomenon.