AVERAGE CHARGED-PARTICLE MULTIPLICITIES IN PI(-)P INCLUSIVE REACTIONS AT 147 GEV-C

The experimentally determined average charged-particle multiplicities, nX, of the systems, X, produced in the following reactions for 147 GeV/c incident pion momentum are presented as functions of the square of the invariant mass of X, MX2, and of |t|:π-p→πfast-X, π-p→pX, π-p→Δ++X, π-p→(π-π+)ρ0X, and π-p→Λ0X. Details of the analysis are discussed. These data can be fit by the expression nX=A+Bln MX2+C|t| and the coefficients obtained for B are equal within their uncertainties. C is significantly different from zero only for π-p→πfast-X. These results and X data from other inclusive and total-inelastic-reaction studies are discussed in terms of a simple model which assumes contributions to nX from the target-fragmentation, the central, and the beam-fragmentation regions in the case of total-inelastic reactions. For inclusive reactions, either the beam or target fragmentation is replaced by an exchange-particle-fragmentation contribution. The s, t, and MX2 dependence of the parameters of the model are deduced from triple-Regge considerations. The data are found to be consistent with the model and values are presented for the parameters. © 1979 The American Physical Society.