Forward?backward multiplicity fluctuations in 200A?GeV/c?16O?AgBr and 32S?AgBr collisions

Charged particle multiplicity correlations and fluctuations in forward?backward symmetric pseudorapidity windows of varying widths and positions are investigated by analysing the experimental data on 16O?AgBr and 32S?AgBr collisions at 200A?GeV/c. These results are compared with the predictions of the Monte Carlo models HIJING and AMPT and also with those reported at RHIC energies. The findings indicate the presence of strong short-range correlations which might arise due to isotropic decays of cluster-like objects either in the forward or backward pseudorapidity region. The analysis of the mixed events further confirms that the observed correlations are a distinct feature of the data, which vanish after mixing the events.