Cross sections and multiplicities in hadron-nucleus collisions with interacting color strings

The energy and $A$ dependence of the cross sections, number of wounded nucleons, and multiplicities in hadron-nucleus interactions at high energies are discussed in the framework of a probabilistic string model. All observables are calculated analytically. The results show that at present energies observable effects due to string fusion are small. However at higher energies, such as at the CERN Large Hadron Collider or the Superconducting Super Collider, these effects give rise to a spectacular reduction of the multiplicity, which becomes independent of $A$. The total cross section, on the contrary, remains proportional to $A^{\frac{2}{3}}$ and only its small reduction is predicted.