Measurement of the initial population and decay rate of the ($\mu ^{4}He)_{2S}^{+}$ system in a helium target at 50 atm

The fraction ( epsilon /sub 25/) of negative muons captured by the 2S level of He atoms and the lifetime tau /sub 2S/ of the muons at this level has been observed with pure helium gas at 50 'atm' and 293K. epsilon /sub 2S/, with no Stark effect, =(4.3+or-0.6)*10/sup -2/, for max. Stark effect, =(3.5+or-0.5)*10/sup -2/ and is insignificantly pressure dependent. tau /sub 2S/=(1.43+or-0.15) mu sec. X-rays from a 2S level two-photon decay and the delayed muon decay electron were observed. (7 refs).