Energy levels of highly excited muonic atoms

Abstract

Energy levels of muonic atom states with high principal quantum number are examined. A Thomas-Fermi type treatment is used in all but the lightest atoms to take account of the effects of electron shielding. Transition energies of the muon are compared to electron binding energies, and implications for muon lifetimes are discussed. The splitting of angular momentum substates is explicitly studied; transitions with no change in principal quantum number are unlikely to be important. Effective charges for the muon are computed. The possibility of an absorptive component of the muon potential is raised.