Muon reactivation in muon-catalyzed D-T fusion

We comprehensively reanalyze and search for the density dependence of the effective muon alpha sticking fraction ωs^ff observed experimentally in muon catalyzed deuterium-tritium fusion. In our work particular emphasis has been put on the density dependent dense hydrogen stopping power. The main technical details and improvements in this work are: The (αμ)⁺ 2s and 2p states are treated independently and are assigned individual reaction rates. The essential muonic excitation rates have been recalculated taking into account finite nuclear mass effects. The stopping power for a charged projectile in liquid heavy hydrogen is modified to account for dynamic screening effects and a density dependent effective ionization potential. It is shown that the medium dependent stopping power for the (αμ)⁺ ion is the crucial factor controlling the density dependence of the effective sticking fraction. It is also pointed out that the muonic helium Kα X-ray yield and the sticking fraction at high density can not be simultaneously brought into agreement with the experimental results without invoking novel mechanisms suppressing Stark mixing in the (Heμ) L-shell. © 1989.

Duke Scholars

Author Berndt Mueller Physics