Anomalous positron peaks from supercritical collision systems

Journal Article · Mon Apr 22 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.54.1761· OSTI ID:5769311

Cowan, T; Backe, H; Begemann, M; Bethge, K; Bokemeyer, H; Folger, H; Greenberg, J S; Grein, H; Gruppe, A; Kido, Y; Kluever, M; Schwalm, D; Schweppe, J; Stiebing, K E; Trautmann, N; Vincent, P

Narrow positron peaks are observed in five supercritical collision systems with combined nuclear charge 180< or =Z/sub u/< or =188. The peaks do not originate from nuclear internal pair conversion and their production appears to occur in a narrow projectile energy interval near the Coulomb barrier. The line shapes are consistent with emission by a source moving with the c.m. velocity. Particularly notable is an apparent independence of the peak energies on Z/sub u/. These observations are discussed in the context of the spontaneous decay of the QED vacuum and other new potential sources of line positron spectra.

• Research Organization: Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung, D-6100 Darmstadt, Federal Republic of Germany; A. W. Wright Nuclear Structure Laboratory, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511; University of Frankfurt, D-6000 Frankfurt am Main, Federal Republic of Germany; University of Heidelberg,
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76ER03074
• OSTI ID: 5769311
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 54:16; ISSN PRLTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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