Ultra-strong electric fields and vacuum breakdown: Search for an astrophysical scenario

In some models of gamma -ray bursts super-strong electric fields (E similar to 10(15) statvolt cm(-1)) have been surmized. Such large fields magi prov ide copious pair production through Vacuum polarization. Here we examine va rious astrophysical scenarios where huge electric field can be present. It is shown that when the conditions for quantistic vacuum breakdown are met, pair creation through conventional processes is likely to be always more im portant. Although of great physical interest, quantum pair production seems therefore of little astrophysical relevance.