Charged particle multiplicity distribution in hadron-hadron collisions

The multiplicity distributions of charged particles emitted frompp and \(\bar p\) p collisions at 15 centre of mass energies from \(\sqrt s = 9.8\) to 900 GeV are interpreted in a two-component model. The leading component arises from the fragmentation of the excited leading particles. The non-leading or central component consists of hadrons resulting from the decay of clusters emitted from a fireball. The energy dependence of the parameters of this model is computed and their behaviour is compared with the predictions of the single negative binomial distribution. Predictions at supercollider and at infinite energies are discussed.