Methodology for superallowed Fermi beta-decay Part II. Reduction of data

Abstract

This paper, Part II of the group, takes the Q EC-values and lifetimes from Part I and reduces them to a form suitable for further analysis in Part III. In reducing the Q EC-values to the phase space factors ƒ critical examination is made of: i) finite nuclear size and form effects; ii) screening by the orbital electrons; iii) finite nuclear mass effects; iv) convolution of the lepton and nucleonic wave functions and v) relativistic terms. In reducing the lifetimes there is a critical discussion of: i) branching ratios; ii) orbital electron capture and iii) the effect of atomic excitation in the beta-decay process.