Statistical approach to nondiffractive hadron-hadron collisions: Multiplicity distributions and correlations in different rapidity intervals

Abstract

It is shown that the recently observed pseudorapidity-interval dependence in multiplicity distributions and the existence of positive long-range correlations between the numbers of charged particles in different pseudorapidity intervals give further evidence for the statistical nature of nondiffractive hadron-hadron collision processes. Quantitative predictions are made for future experiments at higher bombarding energies. It is pointed out in particular that for every (sufficiently high total c.m.-system) energy \ensuremath{\surd}s , there exists a (pseudo)rapidity interval W in which the probability ${P}_{W}$(${n}_{W}$) to find ${n}_{W}$ charged hadrons (in this given interval) satisfies 〈${n}_{W}$〉${P}_{W}$(${n}_{W}$)=4${n}_{W}$/〈${n}_{W}$〉 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}exp(-2${n}_{W}$/〈${n}_{W}$〉), where 〈${n}_{W}$〉 is the average value of ${n}_{W}$.