Minimum bias and underlying event studies at CDF

Soft, non-perturbative, interactions are poorly understood from the theoretical point of view even though they form a large part of the hadronic cross section at the energies now available. We review the CDF studies on minimum-bias ad underlying event in p{bar p} collisions at 2 TeV. After proposing an operative definition of 'underlying event', we present part of a systematic set of measurements carried out by the CDF Collaboration with the goal to provide data to test and improve the QCD models of hadron collisions. Different analysis strategies of the underlying event and possible event topologies are discussed. Part of the CDF minimum-bias results are also presented: in this sample, that represent the full inelastic cross-section, we can test simultaneously our knowledge of all the components that concur to form hadronic interactions. Comparisons with MonteCarlo simulations are always shown along with the data. These measurements will also contribute to more precise estimates of the soft QCD background of high-p{sub T} observables