Hadron multiplicities

We review results on hadron multiplicities in high-energy particle collisions. Both theory and experiment are discussed. The general procedures used to describe particle multiplicity in quantum chromodynamics (QCD) are summarized. The QCD equations for the generating functions of the multiplicity distributions are presented both for fixed and running coupling strengths. The mean multiplicities of gluon and quark jets, their ratio, higher moments, and the slopes of multiplicities as a function of energy scale, are among the main global features of multiplicity for which QCD results exist. Recent data from high energy e+e− experiments, including results for separated quark and gluon jets, allow rather direct tests of these results. The theoretical predictions are generally quite successful when confronted with data. Jet and subjet multiplicities are described. Multiplicity in limited regions of phase space is discussed in the context of intermittency and fractality. The problem of singularities in the generating functions is formulated. Some special features of average multiplicities in heavy quark jets are described.