Combining the steeply falling primary cosmic-ray spectrum with the scaling hypothesis for the spectrum of produced secondary particles, we illustrate how to correlate data at machine energies with cosmic-ray phenomena. We find that the μ+μ- ratio is expected to be energy-independent and greater than 1, regardless of the specific model chosen for multiparticle hadronic reactions. An analysis of accelerator data gives the value μ+μ-1.56, to be compared with the experimental result ∼ 1.25. Possible causes of this discrepancy are discussed. © 1972 The American Physical Society.

Hadronic multiparticle reactions at very high energies are reviewed with emphasis on current theoretical pictures and models. © 1972 The American Physical Society.