Hyperfine ground-state structure of muonic hydrogen

Corrections of orders alpha(5) and alpha(6) to the superfine ground-state structure of the muonic hydrogen atom were calculated. The calculations took into account the effects of the structure of the nucleus on one- and two-loop Feynman amplitudes with the help of the electromagnetic form factors of the proton and the modification of the superfine part of the Breit potential caused by the electronic polarization of the vacuum. The total splitting of the 1S state is 182.725 meV; this value can be used as a reliable estimate in conducting a corresponding experiment with an accuracy of 30 ppm. (C) 2004 MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica.