Continuous radiation emitted by atomic electrons during the nuclear (n, Z; Z1, Z2) reactions in atoms and ions

Abstract

Continuous radiation emitted by electrons during the nuclear (n, Z; Z 1, Z 2) reactions in many-electron atoms and ions is considered in terms of the sudden change approximation. Such radiation emitted when the (n, Z; Z 1, Z 2) reaction proceeds in atoms and ions in-flight is of specific interest, since it can be quite intense and may be used in many practical applications as well as to study the electron distribution in the outer atomic shells. It is shown that the spectrum of the emitted radiation depends significantly upon the motion of the initial atom (ion) and the presence of external electromagnetic fields. In particular, we consider the three following cases: (1) when the initial ion (atom) moves with constant velocity, (2) when it moves with constant acceleration, and (3) when it moves in a constant magnetic field (circular motion). In each of these cases, the spectrum of emitted radiation coincides with a typical bremsstrahlung spectrum. The possible experimental observation for radiation emitted during the nuclear ( n, 3 He; t, p) and ( n, 6 Li; t, α) reactions in moving helium-3 and lithium-6 atoms (ions) is discussed in Section 4.