Re: Can we see the twin dying?

Sid wrote:
"Tom Roberts" <tjroberts137@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:M6dVi.2510$%Z2.1821@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Negative muons captured in a muonic atom (a mu- replaces an e-) decay more rapidly than do free muons. The lifetime of an AL-mu atom is about 0.88 us (the free muon lifetime is 2.2 us; the muons in a storage ring are "free" as far as decay rate is concerned).

Why would the muon in a muonic atom decay more rapidly?

I'm not sure of the details, only that weak interactions with the nucleus are involved. Higher Z => shorter lifetime.


What is an AL-muon atom? What does AL stand for?

typo: I meant Al, aluminum.


Also, when you say ''the free muon lifetime is 2.2 us'' I guess you mean a free muon at rest (as opposed to a ''free muon'' moving in a storage ring).

Yes, of course. We always describe the properties of a particle (lifetime, mass, charge, spin, ...) in its rest frame, unless explicitly stated otherwise.


Tom Roberts
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