Electron Shakeoff Following theβ−Decay ofAr41

Abstract

A specially designed mass spectrometer is used to analyze the potassium ions that result from the ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ decay of ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{41}$. The percent abundances are as follows: ${\mathrm{K}}^{1+}$ (82\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1), ${\mathrm{K}}^{2+}$ (12.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.8), ${\mathrm{K}}^{3+}$ (3.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2), ${\mathrm{K}}^{4+}$ (1.4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1), ${\mathrm{K}}^{5+}$ (0.44\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.06), ${\mathrm{K}}^{6+}$ (0.16\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.04), ${\mathrm{K}}^{7+}$ (0.06\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02), and ${\mathrm{K}}^{8+}$ (0.016\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.009). The data are compared with similar studies on other rare gases that undergo beta decay, and some of the general properties of electron shakeoff as a function of atomic number are discussed.