Role of quarks in hadroproduction in high energy collisions

A qualitative model for hadroproduction in high energy collisions considering two components (“thermal” and “hard”) to hadroproduction is proposed. Inclusive pseudorapidity distributions, dσ/dη, and transverse momentum spectra, d²σ/(dηdp_T²), measured by different collaborations are considered in terms of this model. The shapes of the pseudorapidity distributions agree with that one can expect from the qualitative picture introduced. The model is used to provide predictions for the LHC. Data up to a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV are well described and predictions for higher energies await new data. Finally, the differences between charged particle spectra produced in inclusive and diffractive events are discussed and the absence of the “thermal” component in the latter is observed