Production of spectator hypermatter in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

Possible formation of large hyperfragments in relativistic heavy-ion collisions is studied within two transport models, the Dubna cascade model and UrQMD model. Our goal is to explore a new mechanism for the formation of strange nuclear systems via capture of hyperons by relatively cold spectator matter produced in semiperipheral collisions. We investigate basic characteristics of the produced hyperspectators and estimate the production probabilities of multistrange systems. Advantages of the proposed mechanisms over an alternative coalescence process are analyzed. We also discuss how such hyperfragments can be detected by taking into account the background of free hyperons. This investigation is important for the development of new experimental methods for producing hypernuclei in peripheral relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions, which are now underway at GSI and are planned for the future FAIR and NICA facilities.