THE ISOSPIN DIFFUSION IN58Ni-INDUCED REACTIONS AT INTERMEDIATE ENERGIES

Isospin diffusion is probed as a function of the dissipated energy by studying two systems 58Ni+58Ni and 58Ni+197Au, over the incident energy range 52-74A MeV. Experimental data are compared with the results of a microscopic transport model with two different parameterizations of the symmetry energy term. A better overall agreement between data and simulations is obtained when using a symmetry term with a potential part linearly increasing with nuclear density. The isospin equilibration time at 52 A MeV is estimated to 130 ± 10 fm/c.