The total nuclear capture rates of muons by argon and neon have been measured. The experiment was performed by stopping negative muons in a target of ultrapure gaseous deuterium (at 6 atm pressure and 293°K) separately contaminated by small amounts of argon and neon, and observing the differential time distribution of the decay electrons coming from muons stopped within the gaseous mixture. The results are ${\lambda }_{c,\mathrm{Ar}}=(1.20\mathrm{}\pm 0.08)\times {10}^6$ ${\sec }^{-1\mathrm{}}$ and ${\lambda }_{c,\mathrm{Ne}}=(0.30\mathrm{}\pm 0.02)\times {10}^6$ ${\sec }^{-1\mathrm{}}$.

• Received 3 January 1973

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.7.2214