Decay rate of bound muons

doi:10.1016/0003-4916(61)90039-2

Annals of Physics

Volume 16, Issue 2, November 1961, Pages 288-317

https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-4916(61)90039-2 Get rights and content

Abstract

The total rate and the electron energy spectrum are calculated for the decay of a negative muon bound in an atomic 1s state, using relativistic electron and muon wave functions appropriate to an extended nuclear charge distribution, and using a general local, nonderivative, decay interaction. The rate and the spectrum are computed numerically for iron, antimony, lead, and uranium, and the rate is found to be in qualitative agreement with earlier calculations. The results are compared with experiment after approximate corrections are made for energy loss by the decay electrons in the target, and for the detection threshold for these electrons. These corrections are found to explain the great reduction in the experimental ratio of bound to free muon decay rates for heavy elements, thus removing the previous theoretical-experimental discrepancy for these elements. The observed peak in the bound muon decay rate near iron is not predicted, but a consideration of possible additional contributions to the experimental decay rate suggests that the large background of low-energy gamma rays associated with the accompanying muon capture might be connected with this peak.

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^☆: A thesis submitted to the Department of Physics of the University of Chicago in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree.

^☆☆: This work was supported by the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission at the University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, and Carnegie Institute of Technology; and also by the National Science Foundation, to which the author is indebted for a pre-doctoral fellowship held during the first half of this work.

^‡: Now at the University of California, Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, Berkeley, California.

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Decay rate of bound muons☆,☆☆

Abstract

Ann. Phys.

J. Appl. Phys. Suppl.

Phys. Rev.

Phys. Rev.

Phys. Rev. Letters

Phys. Rev.

Phys. Rev.

Phys. Rev.

Bull. Am. Phys. Soc.

Theoretical Nuclear Physics

Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory Report LAMS-2387

Ann. Rev. Nuc. Sci.

Revs. Modern Phys.

Ann. Rev. Nuc. Sic.

Phys. Rev.

Phys. Rev.

Phys. Rev.

Introduction to Numerical Analysis

Phys Rev.