Centrality dependence of charged-neutral particle fluctuations in 158A (GeVPb)-Pb-208+Pb-208 collisions

Results on the study of localized fluctuations in the multiplicity of charged particlesand photons produced in 158A GeV/c Pb+Pb collisions are presented for varying centralities. The charged versus neutral particle multiplicity correlationsin common phase space regions of varying azimuthalsizes are analyzed by two different methods. Various types of mixed events are constructed to probe fluctuations arising from different sources. The measured results are compared to those from simulations and from mixed events. The comparison indicates the presence of nonstatistical fluctuations in both the charged particleand photon multiplicities in limited azimuthalregions. However, no correlated charged-neutral fluctuations, a possible signature of formation of disoriented chiral condensates, are observed. An upper limit on the production of disoriented chiral condensates is set.