Antiproton production in nuclear collisions at 158 A.GeV/c

The NA49 detector system at the CERN SPS studies a variety of nuclear reactions ranging from p+p via p+A with controlled impact parameter to Pb+Pb collisions with different centralities. Tracking (by time projection chambers) and particle identification (by dE/dx therein) cover the full projectile hemisphere for produced particles. This permits a comprehensive study of antiprotons - notwithstanding their small abundance relative to other particle species-with the aim to scrutinize the evolution of the production characteristics from the most elementary to the most complex and energy-dense hadronic interactions. (5 refs).