Manifestations of high density QCD in the first RHIC data

We derive a simple analytical scaling function which embodies the predictions of high density QCD on the energy, centrality, rapidity, and atomic number dependences of hadron multiplicities in nuclear collisions. Both centrality and rapidity dependences of hadron multiplicity in Au-Au collisions as measured at RHIC at roots = 130 GeV are well described in this approach. The centrality and rapidity dependences of hadron multiplicity at roots = 200 GeV run at RHIC are predicted; the variation of these dependences with energy appear different from other approaches, and can be used as an important test of the ideas based on parton saturation and classical Chromo-Dynamics. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.