Nuclear Polarization Corrections for the S--Levels of Electronic and Muonic Deuterium

Abstract

We calculate the second-order corrections to the atomic energy level shifts in ordinary and muonic deuterium due to virtual excitations of the deuteron which are important for ongoing and planned precise experiments in these systems. For light atoms a method can be used in which the shift is expressed as integrals over the longitudinal and transverse inelastic structure functions of the nucleus. We employ the structure functions arising from separable NN potentials of the Yamaguchi and Tabakin form which can be evaluated analytically. Special emphasis is put on gauge invariance which requires a consistent inclusion of interaction currents and seagull terms. The effect of the D-wave component of the deuteron is investigated for the leading longitudinal contribution. We also estimate the shift for pionic deuterium.