Comparative analysis of fast forward-backward hadron production in the inelastic interactions of 6Li and 7Li nuclei with emulsion nuclei at Dubna energy

Li-6 and Li-7 nuclei with energies of 3.7 and 2.2A GeV respectively have been allowed to interact in nuclear emulsion exposed at Dubna synchrophasotron. Nearly 1000 inelastic interactions of each projectile have been analyzed. We present results on the multiplicity distributions, average values, and correlations of the relativistic hadrons (shower particles) both in the forward (theta(lab) < 90 degrees) and backward (theta(lab) greater than or equal to 90 degrees) hemispheres. The dependence of the probability of the interactions accompanied by relativistic hadrons on the projectile and target sizes is also presented. It is shown that the average multiplicities of the produced shower particles in the backward hemisphere ([N-8(b)]) are nearly independent of the projectile size at Dubna energy. However, the average multiplicities of shower particles in the forward hemisphere are strongly dependent on the projectile size. We support a criterium to select central events in the interactions with heavy target nuclei, by considering those interactions having N-s(b) greater than or equal to 3. We confront the data with a superposition model. The model adequately describes the backward production, but a remarkable deviation is found in the forward region.