  The paper is devoted to the experimental determination of the space-time
characteristics for the target multifragmentation in p(8.1GeV) + Au collisions.
The experimental data on the fragment charge distribution and kinetic energy
spectra are analyzed within the framework of the statistical multifragmentation
model. It is found that the partition of hot nuclei is specified after
expansion of the target spectator to a volume equal to Vt = (2.9 +- 0.2) Vo,
with Vo as the volume at normal density. However, the freeze-out volume is
found to be Vf = (11 +- 3) Vo. At freeze-out, all the fragments are well
separated and only the Coulomb force should be taken into account. The results
are in accordance with a scenario of spinodal disintegration of hot nuclei.
