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Theory of positron production in heavy-ion collisions

Publication ,  Journal Article
Reinhardt, J; Müller, B; Greiner, W
Published in: Physical Review A
January 1, 1981

Collisions of very heavy ions at energies close to the Coulomb barrier are discussed as a unique tool to study the behavior of the electron-positron field in the presence of strong external electromagnetic fields. To calculate the excitation processes induced by the collision dynamics, a semiclassical model is employed and adapted to describe the field-theoretical many-particle system. An expansion in the adiabatic molecular basis is chosen. Energies and matrix elements are calculated using the monopole approximation. In a supercritical (Z1+Z2173) quasiatomic system the 1s level joins the antiparticle continuum and becomes a resonance, rendering the neutral vacuum state unstable. Several methods of treating the corresponding time-dependent problem are discussed. A projection-operator technique is introduced for a fully dynamical treatment of the resonance. Positron excitation rates in s12 and p12 states are obtained by numerical solution of the coupled-channel equations and are compared with results from first- plus second-order perturbation theory. Calculations are performed for subcritical and supercritical collisions of Pb-Pb, Pb-U, U-U, and U-Cf. Strong relativistic deformations of the wave functions and the growing contributions from inner-shell bound states lead to a very steep Z dependence of positron production. The results are compared with available data from experiments done at GSI. Correlations between electrons and positrons are briefly discussed. © 1981 The American Physical Society.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Physical Review A

DOI

ISSN

1050-2947

Publication Date

January 1, 1981

Volume

24

Issue

1

Start / End Page

103 / 128

Related Subject Headings

  • General Physics
  • 03 Chemical Sciences
  • 02 Physical Sciences
  • 01 Mathematical Sciences
 

Citation

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Reinhardt, J., Müller, B., & Greiner, W. (1981). Theory of positron production in heavy-ion collisions. Physical Review A, 24(1), 103–128. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.24.103
Reinhardt, J., B. Müller, and W. Greiner. “Theory of positron production in heavy-ion collisions.” Physical Review A 24, no. 1 (January 1, 1981): 103–28. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.24.103.
Reinhardt J, Müller B, Greiner W. Theory of positron production in heavy-ion collisions. Physical Review A. 1981 Jan 1;24(1):103–28.
Reinhardt, J., et al. “Theory of positron production in heavy-ion collisions.” Physical Review A, vol. 24, no. 1, Jan. 1981, pp. 103–28. Scopus, doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.24.103.
Reinhardt J, Müller B, Greiner W. Theory of positron production in heavy-ion collisions. Physical Review A. 1981 Jan 1;24(1):103–128.

Published In

Physical Review A

DOI

ISSN

1050-2947

Publication Date

January 1, 1981

Volume

24

Issue

1

Start / End Page

103 / 128

Related Subject Headings

  • General Physics
  • 03 Chemical Sciences
  • 02 Physical Sciences
  • 01 Mathematical Sciences