The evolution of short distance phase space quanta into hadron jets

A statistical model of e+e- annihilation into hadrons is presented which explains at the same time some short distance phenomena (multiple jet structure, rate of three jet events, scaling) and large distance phenomena (hadron final states, multiplicities). We investigate the change of phase space structure with time under the assumption that the interaction volume expands with velocity of light. At short distances L<<msub(π)-1 elementary quanta in the instantaneous phase space with mass spread Δmapprox. equal toL-1 can be produced. They are unstable and evolve into the jet of hadrons. The time evolution of the system is uniquely determined by sequential application of our principle of equipartition in instantaneous phase space. (orig.)