Higher Order QED Calculation of Ultrarelativistic Heavy Ion Production of mu+ mu- Pairs

TL;DR

This paper presents a higher order QED calculation of mu+ mu- pair production in ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions, revealing significant Coulomb corrections and the importance of ion charge distribution effects.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed higher order QED approach for muon pair production, highlighting the impact of Coulomb corrections and form factors in ultraperipheral collisions.

Findings

Coulomb corrections significantly decrease mu+ mu- production.

Finite charge distribution of ions affects the total cross section.

Impact parameter subtraction is crucial for accurate calculations.

Abstract

A higher order QED calculation of the ultraperipheral heavy ion cross section for mu+ mu- pair production at RHIC and LHC is carried out. The so-called "Coulomb corrections" lead to an even greater percentage decrease of mu+ mu- production from perturbation theory than the corresponding decrease for e+ e- pair production. Unlike the e+ e- case, the finite charge distribution of the ions (form factor) and the necessary subtraction of impact parameters with matter overlap are significant effects in calculation an observable ultraperipheral mu+ mu- total cross section.