Muon capture on nickel and tin isotopes

We calculate total and differential muon capture rates on nickel and tin isotopes ranging from the proton dripline to the neutron dripline. The total rates decrease as the neutron number increases due to the combined effect of gradual blocking of available final-state neutron levels and of decreased phase space. The ordering of single-particle levels determines when blocking becomes important. We show that the total capture rates thereby are sensitive to the evolution of nuclear structure along an isotope chain.Received: 28 January 2003, Revised: 7 March 2003, Published online: 4 June 2003PACS: 24.30.Cz Giant resonances - 23.40.-s Beta decay; double beta decay; electron and muon capture - 23.40.Hc Relation with nuclear matrix elements and nuclear structure