Scaling properties of pion production

The scaling of pion multiplicities with system size in proton–nucleus and nucleus–nucleus reactions at 200 A GeV is investigated. A nuclear geometry calculation of incoherent multiple scattering including effects of deceleration of the participating particles is presented. Pion multiplicities at high transverse momenta agree relatively well with an overall scaling with the number of binary collisions. The deviations from this gross scaling for p+A and S+Au reactions at 200AGeV are compared to model predictions and the implications are discussed. Within this picture no universal scaling law for high pT particle production is obtained. In addition to the conceptual problems of such an incoherent model, it is shown that the implied kinematic relation between a possible pT-broadening and deceleration leads to contradictions. The scaling of pion production at intermediate pT with system size does not indicate a multiple scattering enhancement.