Creation of electron-positron pairs in the collision of heavy atomic nuclei. Systematic quantum-mechanical approach.

The creation of electron-positron pairs in the collision of two heavy nuclei is considered. A systematic quantum-mechanical approach is developed for the complete electron-nuclear system. The finite size of the nuclei and the possible resonances of the superheavy compound nucleus formed from the initial nuclei are taken into account. The energetic approach known in the theory of the breakdown of quasisteady systems is generalized to the case of the collisional problem. This approach is combined with perturbation theory for the complete electron-nuclear system. The rearrangement of the negative-continuum spectrum is taken into account using the procedure of [14], which is generalized with the aim of introducing additional conditions, in particular, the condition associated with correct choice of the zero approximation. The method is the same for Z < Z and Z > Z, where Z is the minimum nuclear charge at which spontaneous pair creation is possible. The contribution of the 'spontaneous' channel to the amplitude of the process is automatically taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]