Dilepton production from ρ-mesons in a quark-gluon plasma

Assuming that ρ-mesons exist in a quark-gluon plasma at temperatures close to the QCD phase transition, we calculate the dilepton production rate from q-ˉq annihilation via a ρ-meson state using Vector Meson Dominance. The result is compared to the rates from direct q-ˉq annihilation and from π⁺-π⁻ annihilation. Furthermore we discuss the suppression of low mass dileptons if the quarks assume an effective mass in the quark-gluon plasma. Received: 8 September 1999 / Revised version: 22 October 1999