---
author:
- |
    Christian Bierlich$^1$, Gösta Gustafson$^1$, Leif Lönnblad$^{1}$ and Andrey Tarasov$^{2}$\
    $^1$Dept. of Astronomy and Theoretical Physics, Lund University, Sweden\
    $^2$Theory Group, Jefferson Lab, Newport News, Virginia, USA
bibliography:
- 'references.bib'
- 'refs.bib'
title: 'Effects of Overlapping Strings in $pp$ Collisions [^1]'
---

Introduction {#sec:intro}
============

In most models for high energy collisions, like the popular [P]{}[@Sjostrand:2006za] or [@Bahr:2008pv] models, the hadronization mechanism is described via strings or cluster chains. The strings are often treated as independent, but in connection with nucleus collisions it was early suggested that the many strings produced within a limited space may interact and form “colour ropes” [@Biro:1984; @Bialas:1984ye]. Such ropes have subsequently been studied by many authors with applications to high energy nucleus collisions [@Kerman:1985tj; @Gyulassy:1986jq; @Andersson:1991er; @Braun:1991dg; @Braun:1993xw; @Amelin:1994mc; @Armesto:1994yg]. The stronger field in a rope is expected to give larger rates for strangeness and baryons. The effect on the multiplicity is more difficult to predict, and here the results depend on simplified assumptions, often without a real motivation. Usually the result is either a decreased or an unmodified particle multiplicity.

As rope formation is expected to give increased rates of strange particles and baryons, which may mimic effects of plasma 