Muon Capture in Deuterium

Abstract

The deuteron represents the simplest bound state of nucleons existing in nature. From the study of the weak nuclear capture process

$$\mu ^ - + d \to n + n + \upsilon _\mu$$

(1)

one can then hope to get information in two main directions. On one side, if the hadronic form factors in the weak Hamiltonian describing reaction (1) are known, then the deuteron wave function, the final state interaction between the produced neutrons and the meson exchange currents effects can be investigated[1–3]. On the other hand, assuming this information from other sources, one can determine the above-mentioned form factors obtaining similar or complementary information with respect to those obtained from the simplest nuclear muon capture by protons. In particular, due to the presence of two neutrons in the final state, the Pauli exclusion principle effect gives an opportunity of observing an almost pure Gamow-Teller coupling[4].