An extensive study of GeV fight-ion-induced multi fragmentation and its possible interpretation in terms of a nuclear liquid-gas phase transition has been performed with the Indiana Silicon Sphere (ISiS) 4 pi detector array. Measurements were performed with 5-15GeV/c p, (p) over bar, and pi(-) beams incident on Au-197 and 2-5 GeV He-3 incident on Ag-nat and Au-197 targets. Both the reaction dynamics and the subsequent decay of the heavy residues have been explored. The data provide evidence for a dramatic change in the reaction observables near an excitation energy of E*/A = 4 5 MeV/residue nucleon. In this region, fragment multiplicities and energy spectra indicate emission from an expanded/dilute source on a very short time scale (20-50 fm/c). These properties, along with caloric curve and scaling-law behavior, yield a pattern that is consistent with a nuclear liquid-gas phase transition. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.