Muonic atoms and the nuclear structure

Abstract

High-precision laser spectroscopy of atomic energy levels enables the measurement of nuclear properties. Sensitivity to these properties is particularly enhanced in muonic atoms which are bound systems of a muon and a nucleus. Exemplary is the measurement of the proton charge radius from muonic hydrogen performed by the CREMA collaboration which resulted in an order of magnitude more precise charge radius as extracted from other methods but at a variance of 7 standard deviations. Here, we summarize the role of muonic atoms for the extraction of nuclear charge radii, we present the status of the so called "proton charge radius puzzle", and we sketch how muonic atoms can be used to infer also the magnetic nuclear radii, demonstrating again an interesting interplay between atomic and particle/nuclear physics.