Nuclear charge distributions deduced from the muonic atoms ofTh232,U235,U238, andPu239

The muonic x rays from four highly deformed actinide nuclei, ${}_{}{}^{232}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Th}$, ${}_{}{}^{235}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{U}$, ${}_{}{}^{238}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{U}$, and ${}_{}{}^{239}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Pu}$, have been measured. A four parameter Fermi charge distribution with distortion terms of the form ${\beta }_{2n}{Y}_{2n0}$, $n\le 2$, was used to characterize the nuclear charge distribution. A least squares fit was made to the energies of the $2p-1s$ and $3d-2p$ muonic x rays and their fine and hyperfine structure splitting. The $4f-3d$ and $5g-4f$ muonic x rays were measured for the four nuclei as well as the 5-3, 4-2, and 3-1 muonic transitions for ${}_{}{}^{232}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Th}$ and ${}_{}{}^{238}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{U}$. The intrinsic electric quadrupole moments were deduced. Our results are compared with those from earlier muonic experiments, as well as with proton, $\alpha$, and electron inelastic scattering.