Reaction Cycle Characterizations of Muon-Catalyzed Fusion

The muon-catalyzed deuterium-tritium fusion reaction network is examined for its energy-related reaction cycle characteristics. Several such characterizations are established and numerically assessed. An asymptotic upper bound energy multiplication as a function of temperature appears to exist, suggesting that, in the absence of an order of magnitude decrease in the product of alpha sticking probability times the average energy cost of muon production or significant density enhancement effects, the µ-d-t reactor will need to be designed as a fusion-fission hybrid or symbiont.