Inner shell relativistic features in photoeffect

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · AIP Conf. Proc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5657288

Pratt, R H

Relativistic features of radiation processes are discussed, with emphasis on those features produced in the interior of the atom, using photoeffect as the example. This is contrasted with the rather extensive discussion of relativistic effects on atomic structure and the recent studies of relativistic modifications of nonrelativistic exchange and correlation effects. It is concluded that relativistic dipole and first higher multipole corrections suffice to characterize these processes through the x-ray regime, while at higher energies alternative characterization schemes need to be developed. It is sufficient to consider a radiation process as a single electron transition in a screened central potential (even though quantitative predictions may require a more sophisticated treatment of other aspects of the process). What is wished to be understood are the differences from nonrelativistic dipole calculations in a nonrelativistic potential. These include differences in wave functions due to relativity, such as inner contraction and spin-orbit splitting, and resulting differences in screened potentials (contracted interior, extended exterior). Retardation effects enter in the same order as relativistic effects, and often the two effects tend to cancel. Higher multipoles must also be considered and can remain important even for low energy processes. Additional polarization correlations are possible, so that a complete experiment becomes more complex. 12 references, 5 figures.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA
• OSTI ID: 5657288
• Report Number(s): CONF-820855-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AIP Conf. Proc.; (United States) Journal Volume: 94
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640305* -- Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Atomic & Molecular Theory-- (-1987)
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOMS
COUPLING
CROSS SECTIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
FIELD THEORIES
FUNCTIONS
GENERAL RELATIVITY THEORY
INNER-SHELL IONIZATION
INTERMEDIATE COUPLING
IONIZATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
L-S COUPLING
MASSLESS PARTICLES
MECHANICS
PHOTOIONIZATION
PHOTONS
POLARIZATION
QUANTUM MECHANICS
RADIATIONS
RELATIVITY THEORY
TOTAL CROSS SECTIONS
WAVE FUNCTIONS
X RADIATION