Photon induced proton and anti-proton pair production with ultraperipheral heavy ion collisions at RHIC

We investigate proton-antiproton ($p\bar{p}$) pair production via photon-photon fusion in the ultra-peripheral collisions at RHIC, employing a joint impact parameter and transverse momentum dependent formalism. We consider proton exchange, $s$-channel resonance and hand-bag mechanisms, predicting differential distributions of $p\bar{p}$ production. Our theoretical predictions can be tested against future measurements at RHIC, to enhance our understanding of photon-photon interactions in strong electromagnetic fields.