Angular and velocity analysis of the three-fold events in the Xe + Cu reaction at 45 MeV/u

An analysis of the angular and velocity distributions of the intermediate mass fragments produced in the reaction Xe + Cu at 45 MeV/u is presented. Events coming from central collisions are selected and compared with predictions of different models based on a statistical deexcitation of an equilibrated source. The angular and velocity correlations show that the experimental production of three nearly-equal mass fragments cannot be explained by a sequential binary decay and is compatible with a multifragmentation mechanism.