Transverse momentum dependence of J/psi suppression in nuclear interactions and absorption versus depletion mechanisms

It is pointed out that the Gerschel Hufner mechanism of J/psi suppression i n proton-nucleus interactions and the suppression of J/psi due to gluon dep letion can be - in principle - disentangled by very accurate data on the A dependence of <p(T)(2)> of surviving J/psi. It is also shown that the depen dence of <p(T)(2)> on the total transverse energy E-T in nucleus-nucleus co llisions can discriminate between models of J/psi suppression provided that accurate data exist and the relationship between E-T and the impact parame ter b is better understood. The accuracy of the available data together wit h only a partial understanding of the relationship between the impact param eter and total transverse energy do not permit to disentangle the two mecha nisms at present.