APEX : Positive evidence for sharp 800 keV pairs from heavy ion collisions near the Coulomb barrier

The best fit to the published APEX U+Th data describes a sharp line of 123 pairs of width 23 keV at 793±7 keV; also, the data impose a positive 99.0%CL lower bound of 23 sharp pairs. It is therefore untenable to argue from the APEX data against the existence of sharp pairs. Data-only ratios APEX/EPOS pair counts show empirically that the two experiments’ pair data are mutually consistent and of comparable statistical potency: conflicts, if any, can be resolved only by other independent evidence. A perspective is offered on the current status of the Sharp Lepton Problem, and alternative non-heavy-ion experimental approaches to it are recommended. *Email: [email protected]; Tel: 301-405-6115; FAX: 301-405-6114 submitted to Phys. Rev. C; archived as paper nucl-th/9703006. PACS Nos.:25.70.Bc, 23.20.Nx, 21.45.+v, 14.80.-j, 14.60.Cd, 12.20.-m. Typeset usingREVTEX