Liquid to Vapor Phase Transition in Excited Nuclei

Abstract

The thermal component of the $8\mathrm{GeV}/c$ $\ensuremath{\pi}+\mathrm{Au}$ data of the ISiS Collaboration is shown to follow the scaling predicted by Fisher's model when Coulomb energy is taken into account. Critical exponents $\ensuremath{\tau}$ and $\ensuremath{\sigma}$, the critical point $({p}_{c},{\ensuremath{\rho}}_{c}{,T}_{c})$, surface energy coefficient ${c}_{0}$, enthalpy of evaporation $\ensuremath{\Delta}H$, and critical compressibility factor ${C}_{c}^{F}$ are determined. For the first time, the experimental phase diagrams, $(p,T)$ and $(T,\ensuremath{\rho})$, describing the liquid vapor coexistence of finite neutral nuclear matter have been constructed.