Prompt muon contribution to the flux underwater - art. no. 096004

We present high energy spectra and zenith-angle distributions of the atmosp heric muons computed for the depths of the locations of the underwater neut rino telescopes. We compare the calculations with the data obtained in the Baikal and the AMANDA muon experiments. The prompt muon contribution to the muon flux underwater due to recent perturbative QCD-based models of the ch arm production is expected to be observable at the depths of the large unde rwater neutrino telescopes. This appears to be probable even at rather shal low depths (1-2 km), provided the energy threshold fur muon detection is ra ised above similar to 100 TeV.