Double inelastic interactions in pd collisions in the 1.6–4.3 GeV/c incident p momentum range

We present results on $\text{p}\text{d}$ multiplicity distributions at 3.9 and $\text{4.3}\text{GeV}\text{/c}\text{p}$ incident momenta obtained from a bubble chamber experiment. An excess is observed for the even-prong multiplicities as compared with $\text{p}$ collisions on free protons. This excess as well as that observed in other existing $\text{p}\text{d}$ data in the 1.6–2.9 GeV/c range was analysed in terms of double interaction processes inside the deuteron.