A model for peripheral heavy ion reactions which includes, in a consistent formalism, both primary and secondary phases of the reaction mechanism is described. The model is based on a ‘‘nuclear random walk’’ in the projectile-like fragment mass which depends on the number of collisions between projectile and target nucleons along the classical trajectory of relative motion. Emphasis is placed on simple evaluation of experimental observables. An application to the ${}_{}{}^{40}{}_{}{}^{}$Ar${+\mathrm{}}^{68}$Zn reaction, at 14.6 and 27.6 MeV/nucleon, is made and differences between model predictions and measurements, especially at the higher energy, are discussed.

• Received 25 June 1986

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.35.117