Factorial moments, cumulants and correlation integrals in Pi+P and K+P interactions at 250 Gev/C

A selected sample of 59200 π+p andK+p nonsingle-diffrative interactions at\(\sqrt s \) =22 GeV is used to investigate one, two- and three-dimensional factorial moments, factorial cumulant moments, as well as correlation integrals. The rise of factorial moments and cumulants with decreasing phase-space volume is stronger when evaluated in three than in lower dimensions. Ratios of slopes are easier to obtain than the slopes themselves. Contrary to earlier findings, they turn out to depend on the dimension. The order dependence of the averaged ratios is better described by a Levy stable law solution with μ=1.6 than by Gaussian approximation of the α-model (μ=2) or a second order phase transition (μ=0), but values μ>2 inconsistent with Levy-type fluctuations are reached in a three-dimensional analysis. The multiparticle contributions to the factorial moments are calculated by means of factorial cumulant moments. A particular improvement of the method is that of correlation (or density) integrals. It leads to the conclusion that Bose-Einstein interference plays an important role in the intermittency effect, but indication is found for an interpretation alternative to the conventional view of Bose-Einstein correlations.