Higher-order QED calculation of ultrarelativistic heavy-ion production of μ+μ- pairs

A higher-order QED calculation of the ultraperipheral heavy-ion cross section for μ+μ- pair production at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider and the Large Hadron Collider is carried out. The so-called Coulomb corrections lead to an even greater percentage decrease of μ+μ- production from perturbation theory than the corresponding decrease for e+e- pair production. Unlike the e+e- case, the finite charge distribution of the ions (form factor) and the necessary subtraction of impact parameters with matter overlap are significant effects in calculation an observable ultraperipheral μ+μ- total cross section.