Forward–backward multiplicity correlation and event-by-event multiplicity fluctuation in nucleus–nucleus collisions at 200A GeV

Correlation among singly charged particles emitted in the forward and backward pseudo-rapidity cones is measured in [Formula: see text]O-Ag/Br and [Formula: see text]S-Ag/Br interactions at an incident energy of [Formula: see text] GeV/nucleon. Event-by-event fluctuations in the charged particle multiplicities and their pseudo-rapidity values are also investigated in terms of some known statistical measures. Evidences of short-ranged particle correlation and cluster formation in the pseudo-rapidity space are found from our analysis. A microscopic transport model based on the Ultra-relativistic Quantum Molecular Dynamics could not match the experimental results. The differences between experimental observation and corresponding simulation could neither be accounted for even when a Bose–Einstein type of correlation effect is implemented into the simulated data.