Multiplicity distributions in different pseudorapidity intervals at a CMS energy of 540 GeV

Abstract Multiplicity distributions of charged particles for inelastic, non single-diffractive events in proton-antiproton collisions at a centre of mass energy of 540 GeV are presented for various pseudorapidity (Δη) intervals. The widths of the multiplicity distributions, scaled to their means, increase as Δη is made smaller, and the deviation from a Poisson distribution becomes progressively more pronounced. It is found that the data are remarkably well described by a negative binomial distribution. The parameters of the distributions vary smoothly with the size of the acceptance interval.