Anomalous 3d shifts and widths in heavy π- atoms

We argue that 3d shifts and widths in heavy π- atoms are probably not anomalous, contrary to recent experimental and theoretical claims. The observed shifts are small because the π--nucleus interaction is expected to become repulsive in an atom close to 209Bi. No plausible microscopic explanation has been found for the small widths and it is stressed that the experimental evidence for the anomaly, particularly of the widths, is not strong