Bounds to strong gravity from electron-positron annihilations near threshold

Abstract

We discuss bounds to strong gravity arising from annihilation of electron and positrons and the corresponding enhancement of the cross section for the production of massive particles. Two complementary examples are discussed, the case of the $e^+e^- \to W^+ W^-$ processes, with maximum mass and short lifetime for the particle pairs in the final state, and the case of electron positron annihilation into heavier charged lepton pairs, $e^+ e^- \to \mu^+ \mu^-$ and $e^+ e^- \to \tau^+ \tau^-$. These bounds may be improved by the next generation of electron-positron colliders, and are complementary to bounds arising from direct graviton searches.