Abstract
WE wish to draw attention to the possible influence negative muons may have had on the isotopic composition of the rare gases now present in the Earth's atmosphere and crust and in meteorites. The specific reaction to be considered is of the form negative muon + target nuclide (A,Z)→rare gas nuclide (A,Z − 1)→rare gas nuclide (A − x, Z− 1) + x neutrons + neutrino where x is the neutron multiplicity of the target nuclide. A detailed discussion of this muon capture reaction was first given by Fermi and Teller1. Suggestions that it might be possible to observe the reaction products resulting from the bombardment of the Earth's crust by cosmic-ray produced neutrons and negative muons have been made by several authors2–5.
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JEFFERY, P., HAGAN, P. Negative Muons and the Isotopic Composition of the Rare Gases in the Earth's Atmosphere. Nature 223, 1253 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1038/2231253a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2231253a0
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