Nonadiabatic quantum Vlasov equation for Schwinger pair production

Using Lewis-Riesenfeld theory, we derive an exact nonadiabatic master equation describing the time evolution of the QED Schwinger pair-production rate for a general time-varying electric field. This equation can be written equivalently as a first-order matrix equation, as a Vlasov-type integral equation, or as a third-order differential equation. In the last version it relates to the Korteweg-de Vries equation, which allows us to construct an exact solution using the well-known one-soliton solution to that equation. The case of timelike delta function pulse fields is also briefly considered.