Limiting Temperatures and the Equation of State of Nuclear Matter

Abstract

From experimental observations of limiting temperatures in heavy ion collisions we derive the critical temperature of infinite nuclear matter Tc=16.6+/-0.86. Theoretical model correlations between Tc, the compressibility modulus K, the effective mass m*, and the saturation density rho s are then exploited to derive the quantity (K/m*)1/2 rho -1/3 s. This quantity together with calculations employing Skyrme and Gogny interactions indicates a value of K in moderately excited nuclei that is in excellent agreement with the value determined from giant monopole resonance data.