Systematic study of the decay rates of antiprotonic helium states

A systematic study of the decay rates of antiprotonic helium (\pbhef and \pbhet) at CERN AD (Antiproton Decelerator) has been made by a laser spectroscopic method. The decay rates of some of its short-lived states, namely those for which the Auger rates $\gamma_{\mathrm{A}}$ are much larger than their radiative decay rates ($\gamma_{\mathrm{rad}} \sim 1$ $\mu$s$^{-1}$), were determined from the time distributions of the antiproton annihilation signals induced by laser beams, and the widths of the atomic resonance lines. The magnitude of the decay rates, especially their relation with the transition multipolarity, is discussed and compared with theoretical calculations.