Duality and the approach to scaling in inclusive reactions

Abstract

For two-body processes, duality constraints supplemented by the absence of exotic resonances successfully predicted several features of hadronic dynamics. One of these predictions is the early scaling of the total-cross-section for exotic processes, Muller's analysis of inclusive reactions, relating the inclusive cross-section via the generalized optical theorem to the absorptive part of the n-particle forward elastic amplitude, encouraged many people to extend duality arguments, in an attempt to predict when the secondary contributions (or non- scaling part of the amplitude.) would be negligible. It seems that this extension is not straightforward, and several criteria have been proposed. In this thesis we try to test these criteria by comparing them with the available data on inclusive reactions at high energies. A major part of the thesis is devoted to a review material concerning the concept of duality and its development. We begin our review by proving FESR in the classical manner and briefly discuss their application. We show why the Pomeron has an exceptional nature and this, together with the believe that all resonances should be fitted into SU(3) multiplets, leads to the Harari-Freund conjecture. We also show how it can be represented by two-particle dual diagrams. We then extend this discussion to multiparticle reactions with emphasis on inclusive reactions. We discuss the dual diagrams, the different criteria for scaling and finally some experimental tests.