Model-independent tracking of criticality signals in nuclear multifragmentation data

Abstract : We look for signals of a phase transition in multifragmentation reactions using the model-independent theory of universal fluctuations. It is shown that, in central collisions in symmetric systems around the Fermi energy, the fluctuation of the size of the largest fragment in each event can be used to define two energy and mass-dependent fragmentation regimes, which may be interpreted as ordered and disordered phases of n aggregation-like phenomenon