Fragments with6<~Z<~15Emitted from Au Bombarded with 2.1-GeV/NucleonO16Ions and 2.1-GeV Protons

In the reaction 34-GeV ${}_{}{}^{16}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{O}+\mathrm{Au}\to Z$, fragments with $6<~Z<~15$ are emitted with higher than geometric cross section and with a broad distribution of energies extending down to ∼ 0.8 MeV/nucleon. Such low kinetic energies are far below the hard-sphere Coulomb barrier and may imply extreme distortions of a nucleus raised to high temperature by the ${}_{}{}^{16}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{O}$ ion.