RAPIDITY DISTRIBUTIONS OF PROTONS IN (P,D,ALPHA,C)C COLLISIONS AT 4.2GEV C PER NUCLEON/

Rapidity distributions of protons in pC, dC, alpha C, and CC collision s at a projectile momentum of 4.2 GeV/c per nucleon are analyzed at va rious transverse momenta. The data is compared with the predictions of the quark-gluon string model. This model is shown to provide a satisf actory description of inclusive proton distributions in basic kinemati c variables. The relative contributions of protons from Delta-isobar d ecays and of protons directly produced in NN interactions to the rapid ity distributions at various transverse momenta are estimated by invok ing the quark-gluon string model.