  We develop a new approach to production of the spectator nucleons in the
heavy ion collisions. The energy transfer to the spectator system is calculated
using the Monte Carlo based on the updated version of our generator of
configurations in colliding nuclei which includes a realistic account of
short-range correlations in nuclei. The transferred energy distributions are
calculated within the framework of the Glauber multiple scattering theory,
taking into account all the individual inelastic and elastic collisions using
an independent realistic calculation of the potential energy contribution of
each of the nucleon-nucleon pairs to the total potential. We show that the
dominant mechanism of the energy transfer is tearing apart pairs of nucleons
with the major contribution coming from the short-range correlations. We
calculate the momentum distribution of the emitted nucleons which is strongly
affected by short range correlations including its dependence on the azimuthal
angle. In particular, we predict a strong angular asymmetry along the direction
of the impact parameter b, providing a unique opportunity to determine the
direction of b. Also, we predict a strong dependence of the shape of the
nucleon momentum distribution on the centrality of the nucleus-nucleus
collision.
