INELASTICITY OF HADRON-LEAD COLLISIONS, ESTIMATED BY THICK LEAD EMULSION CHAMBERS AT THE PAMIRS

The inelasticity distribution of hadron-lead collisions in the energy region exceeding 10(14) eV is estimated by 74 events of hadron interac tions, observed by thick lead chambers at the Pamirs. The distribution is approximated as g(K)dK = 3.0 K-2.0 dK (with (K) = 0.75) as a minim um estimate. The distribution is consistent with that by the simulatio n made under the assumptions of UA5 algorithm for hadron collisions an d of geometrical model for intra-nuclear cascade. It is inferred that the average value of the inelasticity of hadron-nucleon collision is s maller than 0.5 in the energy region exceeding 10(14) eV.