Forward-backward correlations at SPS energies and the nature of multiple-scattering

Abstract

We study the forward-backward rapidity correlation slope in\(\bar p\)p interactions at high energies. We show that the measurement of this slope in different rapidity intervals, yields direct information on multiple-scattering. It turns out that the particles produced in inelastic rescattering are concentrated neary=0. This is a key feature of the multi-chain dual parton model, and leads to a simple explanation of the main features of multi-hadron production at very high energies, such as the energy dependence of the height and shape of the rapidity distribution, approximate K.N.O. scaling etc. We also show that the large values of the forward-backward correlation slope measured at ISR and SPS, are obtained in the model using the standard idea of short-range order in a single inelastic collision.