Muon Reactions in Liquid Hydrogen and Liquid Deuterium

The reactions of muons in liquid hydrogen containing a low concentration of deuterium, $p{μ}+d{→}d{μ}+p{→}{(d{μ}p)}⁺{→}{He}³+{{μ}}^{{-}}(a) or {({He}³{μ})}⁺+{γ}(b)$, and in liquid deuterium containing a low concentration of hydrogen, $d{μ}+p{→}{(d{μ}p)}⁺{→}{He}³+{{μ}}^{{-}}(c) or {({He}³{μ})}⁺+{γ}(d)$, and $d{μ}+d{→}{(d{μ}d)}⁺{→}{He}³+n+{{μ}}^{{-}}(e) or p+t+{{μ}}^{{-}}(f)$, have been investigated using the Chicago 9-in. bubble chamber. Using previously determined values for the formation and fusion rates of the ${(d{μ}p)}⁺$ ion in hydrogen in conjunction with a theoretical determination of the population of the various hyperfine levels in the ${(d{μ}p)}⁺ion, reaction (a) is found to occur in (15±1.5)% of all{(d{μ}p)}⁺$ fusion reactions. The formation rate of the ${(d{μ}d)}⁺$ ion in liquid deuterium is found to be ${{λ}}dd=(3.6±{}1.3)×{}{10}⁵$ ${sec}^{{-}1}$. The fusion rate of the ${(d{μ}d)}⁺$ is ${{λ}}df=(2.5±{}0.04)×{}{10}⁵$ ${sec}^{{-}1}$, and the fraction of muons which, having catalyzed reaction (e), are subsequently bound in a ${({He}³{μ})}⁺muonic ion is (0.31±0.0034). The rate of de-excitation to the lower hyperfine level of thed{μ}$ muonic atom via the reaction $d{μ}(3/2)+d{→}d+d{μ}(1/2)$ has been investigated and found to be $(7.9±{}2.8)×{}{10}⁵ invsec<{{λ}}_{(3/2{-}1/2)}<(1.35±{}0.48)×{}{10}⁶ invsec$. The interference of reactions (c), (d), (e), and (f) in the investigation of the spin-independent capture reaction ${{μ}}^{{-}}+d{→}n+n+{ν}$ is discussed.