Multiplicity Distribution and Mechanisms of the High-Energy Hadron Collisions

Abstract

We discuss the multiplicity distribution for highest accessible energies of $pp$- and $\bar pp$- interactions from the point of view of the multiparton collisions. The inelastic cross sections for the single, $\sigma_1$, and multiple (double and, presumably, triple, $\sigma_{2+3}$) parton collisions are extracted from the analysis of the experimental data on the multiplicity distribution up to the Tevatron energies. It follows that $\sigma_1$ becomes energy independent while $\sigma_{2+3}$ increases with $\sqrt{s}$ for $\sqrt{s}\ge$ 200 GeV. The observed growth of $<p_{\perp}>$ with multiplicity is attributed to the increasing role of multiparton collisions for the high energy $\bar pp(pp)$- inelastic interactions.