Production of three nearly equal mass fragments in the Xe + Cu reaction at 45 MeV/u

An experimental study of three intermediate mass fragment production in the reaction Xe+Cu at 45 MeV/u is presented. Results are compared with the predictions of a conventional statistical binary decay model starting from equilibrated sources obtained both from incomplete fusion systematics and from dynamical calculations at several impact parameters. The inclusive experimental data agree with the dynamical predictions, whereas a disagreement between the exclusive data and the calculations has been found.