Nuclear stopping in heavy-ion collisions at 100 MeV/nucleon from inclusive and exclusive neutral pion measurements

Inclusive and exclusive measurements of neutral pions in heavy-ion collisions around 100 MeV/nucleon, carried out in a near 4π geometry, have been analyzed to obtain information on the nuclear stopping of the projectile. Stopping of the projectile has been investigated by the analysis of the source velocity, of the distribution of the energetic products of the collisions, and of the associated rapidity distribution of the baryon matter. Collisions were classified according to their centrality by the charged particle multiplicity. Clear evidence for this phenomenon has been obtained by the study of different observables. Both stopping and reabsorption effects play an essential role in the interpretation of the results. © 1996 The American Physical Society.