Multiplicities and forward-backward correlations in p interactions at 22.4 gev/c

We study forward-backward multiplicity correlations in p-interactions at 22.4 GeV/c and discuss multiplicities in a simple two-component picture. When the charged particle multiplicity distribution is divided into even and odd components the probability to produce an odd state is found to be higher than the probability to produce an even state, which may be interpreted to be due to diffraction dissociation. An application of the two-component picture to the forward-backward and to the overall multiplicities is discussed. © 1977 IOP Publishing Ltd.