MEASUREMENT OF THE RATE OF NUCLEAR CAPTURE OF NEGATIVE MUONS IN THE ISOTOPES KR-84 AND XE-136

The lifetime of a negative muon in the 1S state in the isotopes Kr-84 and Xe-136 was measured. The values obtained, tau(Kr-84)=139.2+/-2.9 n s and tau(Xe-136)=111.0+/-4.6 ns, correspond to total nuclear capture rates Lambda(c)(Kr-84)=6.75+/-0.15 mu s(-1) and Lambda(c)(Xe-136)=8.6/-0.4 mu s(-1). Theoretical calculations of the rate of nuclear captur e of a negative muon are performed for the Kr isotopes. The experiment al results are compared with the theoretical calculations. (C) 1998 Am erican Institute of Physics. [S0021-3640(98)00305-3].