Centrality and system size dependence of multiplicity fluctuations in nuclear collisions at 158-A/GeV

The centrality and system size dependence of multiplicity fluctuations of charged particles produced in nuclear collisions at $158 A$ GeV was studied by the NA49 collaboration. Centrality selected Pb+Pb collisions, semi-central C+C and Si+Si collisions as well as inelastic p+p interactions were analyzed. The number of projectile participants determined on an event-by-event basis was used to characterize the collision centrality. The scaled variance of the multiplicity distribution obtained in the forward rapidity region ($1.1 <y_{c.m.}