Relation between the average multiplicity and the number of interacting nucleons in collisions of relativistic nuclei

Data from bubble chambers and streamer chambers have been used to obtain the ratio of the average multiplicity of secondary charged particles of various types to the geometrically determined number of interacting nucleons N/sub A/ as a function of N/sub A/ for various colliding nuclei, including central collisions. It is shown that this dependence has a universal nature and agrees with the model ideas of independently interacting nucleons.