Variation of average charged particle multiplicity in p-nucleus interactions with energy and the two component description of particle production at high energies

Experimental data on average shower particle multiplicity () accumulated on p-nucleus interactions in the wide momentum region of 7.1-8000 GeV/c are investigated. It is observed that is represented exceedingly well as a function of (sub(ν)S). There are two physical processes which represent the experimental data reasonably well in the two momentum regions viz 7.1-67.9 GeVsup(a) + b fits the data in the low momentum region, whereas = a+b In(sub(ν)S) fits the experimental data in the high momentum region. The two physical processes are unified and represented by a single equation which is shown to be the consequence of two component theory and collective models. (author)