Summary
We conjecture that the electron-positron pairs observed in heavy-ion reactions near the Coulomb barrier arise from the production and subsequent decay of massive photons. Such a conjecture is shown to predict correctly the widths of the positron lines and to be consistent with the other properties of the production process. Plasmalike oscillations of the electron cloud surrounding the nuclei as a possible mechanism for the photons to acquire a mass are discussed. The theoretical and experimental implications of such a process are critically analysed.
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Abud, M., Iudice, N.L. Positron lines and plasma oscillation. Nuov Cim A 105, 711–716 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02730776
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02730776