Proton-proton multiplicity distributions at LHC and the Pomeron intercept

Abstract

We compute the proton-proton multiplicity distributions at LHC energies in the framework of a multiple scattering model assuming a Poisson distribution for each inelastic collision. Multiple scattering is essential to broaden the multiplicity distribution. We obtain approximate KNO scaling for small pseudo-rapidity intervals ($|\eta | < 0.5$) and sizable KNO scaling violations for larger ones, in agreement with experiment.