Molecular effects in light muonic atoms

Muonic X-ray cascades in B, C, N, O and Ne following muonic atom formation in B2H6, CH4, C2H6, C4H10, N-2, O-2 and Ne were investigated. The densities of the different target gases were low enough to prevent any contact of th e atom or molecule on which the formation takes place with surrounding atom s or molecules during the cascade. Molecular effects of the capturing molec ule are clearly seen. The observed transition yields could be reproduced by variation of only two parameters in a cascade calculation: the number of i nitially available electrons and the muon angular momentum distribution at the starting point of the calculation. By varying the number of electrons, the molecular effects could be described.