The reaction ppbar -> Lambda_c-Lambda_cbar close to threshold

Predictions for the charm-production reaction antiproton-proton -> antiLambda_c-Lambda_c for energies near the threshold are presented. The calculations are performed in a meson-exchange framework in close analogy to our earlier study on antiproton-proton -> antiLambda-Lambda by connecting the two processes via SU(4) symmetry. The obtained antiLambda_c-Lambda_c production cross sections are in the order of 1 to 7 \mub, i.e. a factor of around 10 smaller than the corresponding cross sections for antiLambda-Lambda. However, they are 100 to 1000 times larger than predictions of other model calculations in the literature.