SUPPRESSION OF PSI' AND J PSI IN HIGH-ENERGY HEAVY-ION COLLISIONS/

The experimental ratio of psi' to J/psi is approximately a constant in pA collisions, but decreases as the transverse energy increases in nu cleus-nucleus collisions. These peculiar features can be explained as arising from approximately the same <c(c)over bar>-baryon absorption c ross section for psi' and J/psi but greater disruption probabilities f or psi' than for J/psi due to the interaction of the <c(c)over bar> sy stem with soft particles produced in baryon-baryon collisions.