  Heavy ion collisions in the Fermi energy regime may simultaneously show
features of direct and dissipative processes. To investigate this behavior in
detail, we study isotope and velocity distributions of projectile-like
fragments in the reactions $^{18}$O (35 $A\cdot$MeV) + $^9$Be($^{181}$Ta) at
forward angles. We decompose the experimental velocity distributions
empirically into two contributions: a direct, `breakup' component centered at
beam velocity and a dissipative component at lower velocities leading to a tail
of the velocity distributions. The direct component is interpreted in the
Goldhaber model, and the widths of the velocity distributions are extracted.
The dissipative component is then successfully described by transport
calculations. The ratio of the yields of the direct and the dissipative
contributions can be understood from the behavior of the deflection functions.
The isotope distributions of the dissipative component agree qualitatively with
the data, but the modification due to secondary de-excitation needs to be
considered. We conclude, that such reactions are of interest to study the
equilibration mechanism in heavy ion collisions.
