Introductory Muon Science

Summary of how muons are used in science and engineering.

Kanetada Nagamine (Author)

9780521038201, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 26 July 2007

228 pages, 94 b/w illus. 17 tables
24.2 x 16.9 x 1.1 cm, 0.37 kg

Muons are unstable elementary particles that are found in space, which can also be produced in particle accelerators to an intensity a billion times greater than that occurring naturally. This book describes the various applications of muons across the spectrum of the sciences and engineering. Scientific research using muons relies both on their basic properties as well as the microscopic interaction between them and surrounding particles such as nuclei, electrons, atoms and molecules. Examples of research that can be carried out using muons include muon catalysis for nuclear fusion, the application of muon spin probes to study microscopic magnetic properties of advanced materials, electron labelling to help in the understanding of electron transfer in proteins, and non-destructive element analysis of the human body. Cosmic ray muons can also be used to study the inner structure of volcanoes.

Preface
List of abbreviations
1. What are muons? What is muon science?
2. Muon sources
3. Muons inside condensed matter
4. The muonic atom and its formation in matter
5. Muon catalyzed fusion
6. Muon spin rotation/relaxation/resonance: basic principles
7. Muon spin rotation/relaxation/resonance: probing microscopic magnetic properties
8. Muon spin rotation/relaxation/resonance: probing induced microscopic systems in condensed matter
9. Cosmic-ray muon probes for internal structure of geological-scale materials
10. Future trends in muon science
Further reading
Index.

Subject Areas: Particle & high-energy physics [PHP], Atomic & molecular physics [PHM]