Atomic Capture of Negative Mesons

The atomic capture of negative mesons is examined in detail, using the model of Fermi and Teller. We calculate the initial distribution in angular momentum of the mesons upon capture and that after de-exciting through the electron cloud. The mesonic x-ray intensities are computed from a quantum-mechanical cascade and compared with experiment for $K^{-}$ mesons. Our results agree fairly well with the average (over $Z$) of the experimental data.