On the nature of Coulomb corrections to the e^+e^- pair production in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions

TL;DR

This paper clarifies the correct calculation of Coulomb corrections in e^+e^- pair production during ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions, correcting previous misconceptions caused by improper limiting procedures.

Contribution

It identifies and rectifies a common mistake in the calculation of Coulomb corrections, demonstrating their non-vanishing nature and aligning results with the Weizsäcker-Williams approximation.

Findings

Coulomb corrections do not vanish when correctly calculated.

Previous conclusions about the absence of Coulomb corrections were due to an incorrect limiting process.

Results now agree with established theoretical approximations.

Abstract

We manifest the origin of the wrong conclusion made by several groups of authors on the absence of Coulomb corrections to the cross section of the e^+e^- pair production in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions. The source of the mistake is connected with an incorrect passage to the limit in the expression for the cross section. When this error is eliminated, the Coulomb corrections do not vanish and agree with the results obtained within the Weizs\"acker-Williams approximation.