Electron–positron pairs production in a macroscopic charged core

Abstract

Classical and semi-classical energy states of relativistic electrons bounded by a massive and charged core with the charge-mass radio Q/M and macroscopic radius Rc are discussed. We show that the energies of semi-classical (bound) states can be much smaller than the negative electron mass-energy (−mc2), and energy-level crossing to negative energy continuum occurs. Electron–positron pair production takes place by quantum tunneling, if these bound states are not occupied. Electrons fill into these bound states and positrons go to infinity. We explicitly calculate the rate of pair-production, and compare it with the rates of electron–positron production by the Sauter–Euler–Heisenberg–Schwinger in a constant electric field. In addition, the pair-production rate for the electro-gravitational balance ratio Q/M=10−19 is much larger than the pair-production rate due to the Hawking processes.