Effects of nonstatistical hyperfine populations in muon capture by polarized nuclei

The nonstatistical populations of the hyperfine (HF) levels in muonic atoms brought about by the polarization of the nuclear targets and their influence on the nuclear muon capture probability are considered. The nuclear-capture rates from the upper and lower HF states of the 1s atomic orbit can be markedly different. The usefulness of muon capture by polarized nuclei to probe qualitatively, and possible quantitatively, the difference between the hyperfine capture rates is demonstrated. The best targets to exploit this effect are those for which the hyperfine conversion rate is small in comparison to muon disappearance rate, and which can be polarized maximally to a degree reliably determinable. (18 refs).