Measurement of the radiative decay and energy of the metastable $${(2{s}^{2}2{p}_{1/2}^{5}3{s}_{1/2})}_{(J=0)}$$ level in Fe _XVII

Journal Article · Wed Jan 20 00:00:00 EST 2016 · The Astrophysical Journal (Online)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3847/0004-637X/817/1/67· OSTI ID:1411708

Beiersdorfer, P. ^[1]; Lopez-Urrutia, J. R. Crespo ^[2]; Trabert, E.  ^[3]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Max-Planck-Institut fur Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany)
3. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Ruhr-Univ. Bochum (Germany)

Measurements at the Livermore electron beam ion trap have been performed in order to infer the energy and the radiative lifetime of the $${(1{s}^{2}2{s}^{2}2{p}_{1/2}^{5}3{s}_{1/2})}_{J=0}$$ level in the Fe xvii spectrum. This is the longest-lived level in the neonlike iron ion, and its radiative decay produces the Fe xvii line at 1153 Å, feeding the population of the $${(1{s}^{2}2{s}^{2}2{p}_{3/2}^{5}3{s}_{1/2})}_{J=1}$$ upper level of one of the most prominent lines in the Fe xvii L-shell X-ray spectrum, commonly dubbed $3G$. In the presence of a strong ($$\geqslant $$ few kG) magnetic field, the $${(1{s}^{2}2{s}^{2}2{p}_{1/2}^{5}3{s}_{1/2})}_{J=0}$$ level has a finite probability to decay directly to the $${(1{s}^{2}2{s}^{2}2{p}^{6})}_{J=0}$$ neonlike ground level via the emission of an L-shell X-ray. Our measurements allow us to observe this X-ray line in the Fe xvii L-shell spectrum and from it to infer the radiative rate for the magnetic dipole decay of the $${(1{s}^{2}2{s}^{2}2{p}_{1/2}^{5}3{s}_{1/2})}_{J=0}$$ level to the $${(1{s}^{2}2{s}^{2}2{p}_{3/2}^{5}3{s}_{1/2})}_{J=1}$$. Our result of $$(1.45\pm 0.15)\times {10}^{4}$$ s-1 is in agreement with predictions. We have also measured the wavelength of the associated X-ray line to be 16.804 ± 0.002 Å, which means that the line is displaced 1.20 ± 0.05 eV from the neighboring $${(2{s}^{2}2{p}_{1/2}^{5}3{s}_{1/2})}_{J=1}\to {(2{s}^{2}2{p}^{6})}_{J=0}$$ transition, commonly labeled $3F$. Furthermore, from our measurement, we infer 5950570 ± 710 cm-1 for the energy of the $${(1{s}^{2}2{s}^{2}2{p}_{1/2}^{5}3{s}_{1/2})}_{J=0}$$ level.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: AC52-07NA27344
• OSTI ID: 1411708
• Report Number(s): LLNL-JRNL-676699
• Journal Information: The Astrophysical Journal (Online), Vol. 817, Issue 1; ISSN 1538-4357
• Publisher: Institute of Physics (IOP)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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