Schwinger type processes via branes and their gravity duals

We consider Schwinger type processes involving the creation of the charge and monopole pairs in the external fields and propose interpretation of these processes via corresponding brane configurations in type 1113 string theory. We suggest simple description of some new interesting nonperturbative processes like monopole/dyon transitions in the electric field and W-boson decay in the magnetic field using the brane language. Nonperturbative pair production in the strong coupling regime using the AdS/CFT correspondence is Studied. The treatment of file similar processes in the noncommutative theories when noncommutativity is traded for the background fields is presented and the possible role of the critical magnetic field which is S-dual to the critical electric field is discussed. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.