The charged particle multiplicity distributions in e+e−annihilation processes in the LEP experiments

Abstract

A review is presented of the results obtained in an investigation of the charged particle multiplicity distributions in e+e− annihilation processes in experiments on the LEP accelerator at CERN. Universality in the energy dependence for the average charged particle multiplicity in e+e− and p±p collisions, the KNO scaling for the e+e− data, the structure in the multiplicity distribution and its relation to the number of jets in an event, the average particle multiplicities in quark and gluon jets, the pattern of clans, and other questions are discussed.