Multiplicity of secondary particles in inelastic proton-neon interactions at 300 GeV/c

The data on the total inelastic and partial cross sections in pNe interactions at 300 GeV are presented. It is found that the total cross section, σ_in(pNe)=356+/-13 mb, and multiplicity distributions of the number of negative and relativistic charged particles are in good agreement with predictions of a multiple-scattering model based on Glauber's approach. The multiplicity of negative particles obeys the Koba-Nielsen-Olesen (KNO) scaling, but it is observed that the KNO function depends on the atomic mass number of the target. From an analysis of the average multiplicities of secondary particles, it is shown that approximately 10 percent of the fast (p>~1.2 GeV) positive secondaries are protons, which are derived from the nucleons in the neon nucleus.