Ultraperipheral vs ordinary nuclear interactions

Abstract

It is argued that the cross sections of ultraperipheral interactions of heavy nuclei can become comparable in value to those of their ordinary hadronic interactions at high energies. Simple estimates of corresponding "preasymptotic energy thresholds" are provided.The~method of equivalent photons is compared with the perturbative approach. The~situation at NICA/FAIR energies is discussed.

Comments: 12 pages, 1 Fig, references and text added