Emissions of free neutrons and protons from the central collisions of 124Sn+124Sn and 112Sn+112Sn reactions are simulated using the Improved Quantum Molecular Dynamics model with two different density dependence of the symmetry energy in the nuclear
equation of state. The constructed double ratios of the neutron to proton ratios of the two reaction systems are found to be sensitive to the symmetry terms in the EOS. The effect of cluster formation is examined and found to affect the double ratios mainly in the low energy region. In order to extract better information on symmetry energy with transport models, it is therefore important to have accurate data in the high energy region which also is affected minimally by sequential decays.
An exponential dependence of the fragmentation cross-section on the average binding energy is observed and reproduced with a statistical model. The observed functional dependence is robust and allows the extraction of binding energies from measured c
ross-sections. From the systematics of 75,77,78,79Cu isotope cross-sections have been extracted. They are 636.94 +/- 0.40 MeV, 647.1 +/- 0.4 MeV, 651.6 +/- 0.4 MeV and 657.8 +/- 0.5 MeV, respectively. Specifically, the uncertainty of the binding energy of 75Cu is reduced from 980 keV (listed value in the 2003 mass table of Audi and Wapstra) to 400 keV. The predicted cross-sections of two near drip-line nuclei, 39Na and 40Mg, from the fragmentation of 48Ca are discussed.
Using the measured fragmentation cross sections produced from the 48Ca and 64Ni beams at 140 MeV per nucleon on 9Be and 181Ta targets, we find that the cross sections of unmeasured neutron rich nuclei can be extrapolated using a systematic trend invo
lving the average binding energy. The extrapolated cross-sections will be very useful in planning experiments with neutron rich isotopes produced from projectile fragmentation. The proposed method is general and could be applied to other fragmentation systems including those used in other radioactive ion beam facilities.
