Interplay between the spectator and participant matter in heavy-ion
collisions is investigated within isospin dependent quantum molecular dynamics
(IQMD) model in term of rapidity distribution of light charged particles. The
effect of different types and size rapidity distributions is studied in
elliptical flow. The elliptical flow patterns show important role of the nearby
spectator matter on the participant zone. This role is further explained on the
basis of passing time of the spectator and expansion time of the participant
zone. The transition from the in-plane to out-of-plane is observed only when
the mid-rapidity region is included in the rapidity bin, otherwise no
transition occurs. The transition energy is found to be highly sensitive
towards the size of the rapidity bin, while weakly on the type of the rapidity
distribution. The theoretical results are also compared with the experimental
findings and are found in good agreement.Comment: 8 figure