Experimental results on deuteron emission from central Pb + Pb
collisions (E-beam = 158A GeV, fixed target), obtained by NA49 at the
CERN SPS accelerator, are presented. The transverse mass in,
distribution was measured near mid-rapidity (2.0 < y < 2.5) in the range
of 0 < m(t) - m(0) < 0.9 GeV/c(2) (0 < p(t) < 2.0 GeV/c) for the 4%
most central collisions. An exponential fit gives an inverse slope T-d =
(450 +/- 30) MeV and a yield dN(d)/dy = 0.34 +/- 0.03. The coalescence
factor B-2 (m(t) = m(0))=(3.5 +/- 1.0) . 10(-4) GeV2 and its
m(t)-dependence are deter-mined and discussed in terms of a model that
includes the collective expansion of the source created in a collision.
The derived Gaussian size parameter R-G Of the emission volume is
consistent with earlier HBT results on the source of pion emission. (C)
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