The ratio of electromagnetic to hadronic energy in high energy hadron collisions as a probe for collective effects, and implications for the muon production in cosmic ray air showers.

We present a novel approach to study collective hadronisation in high energy hadron collisions using calorimetric information over a large range of pseudorapidity in combination with the multiplicity of central tracks. As an experimental observable, we propose the production of energy in electromagnetic particles (electrons and photons, including those from decays) versus hadrons, as a function of pseudorapidity and central charged particle multiplicity. We show that this observable exhibits features that can be linked to different underlying particle production mechanisms, and the transition between those. The presented method is able to discriminate between plasma-induced and microscopic collectivity. At the same time, the observable is also known to be of significant relevance for the interpretation of cosmic ray air shower data. The fraction of energy in a hadron collision going into electromagnetic particles has a large impact on the number of muons produced in air shower cascades. We present possible implications of a modified electromagnetic energy fraction, which links collective effects in hadron collisions with muon production in air showers.