Statistical direct reaction theory for dissipative heavy ion collisions in the Fermi energy domain

Abstract

We discuss and review the statistical multistep direct reaction approach as a unified theory of pre-equilibrium reactions for light and heavy ion collisions at low and intermediate energy. In it the statistical and coherent aspects of such reactions are treated consistently and a calculable quantal multistep formulation is obtained which is particularly applicable to exclusive reaction experiments. Applications to heavy ion reaction at low energies and in the Fermi energy domain are discussed.