Higher-order effects studied for K-shell excitation of high-Z projectiles

The study of projectile excitation of high-Z ions in collisions with light target atoms is a powerful tool for the investigation of magnetic and higher-order effects occurring in relativistic collisions. Very first investigations performed for bismuth ions were recently extended at the ESR storage ring by using He-like uranium ions in collisions with gaseous targets. At the ESR jet target, the absence of solid-state effects (e.g., multiple collisions) allows one to study higher order processes, such as excitation and ionization or excitation and capture, occurring in single collisions. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Radiative electron capture: a tool for structure studies of heavy few-electron ions

Radiative Electron Capture (REC) in collisions of hydrogenic germanium ions with hydrogen is measured for projectile energies between 4 and 12 MeV/u. Extrapolating the resulting centroid energies of the K-REC radiation to zero collision velocity theK-binding energy in helium-like germanium-ions is determined. The value compares well with the theoretical prediction. REC in atomic collisions is advertised as a spectroscopic tool for structure investigations of very heavy few-electron projectiles.     

Photon angular distribution of Radiative Electron Capture into the M shell of He-like uranium ions at 110–140 MeV/u

Measurements of the photon angular distribution of Radiative Electron Capture into the M shell have been performed with He-like uranium ions in the range 110–140 MeV/u. In addition, L REC was studied at a projectile energy of 140 MeV/u. In both cases, the experimental data show an asymmetry around 90° and agree well with a fully relativistic theory.     

Recombination of electrons with highly charged heavy ions at very low energies

Recombination of highly charged ions with free electrons is studied in merged-beams experiments at the UNILAC accelerator in Darmstadt and at the heavy-ion storage ring TSR in Heidelberg. Unexpected high recombination rates are observed for a number of ions at very low energiesE _cm in the electron-ion center-of-mass frame. In particular, theoretical estimates for radiative recombination are dramatically exceeded by the experimental recombination rates of U²⁸⁺ ions nearE _cm=0 eV. The observations point to a general phenomenon in electron ion recombination depending onE _cm, on the ion charge state, and possibly also on electron density, electron beam temperature, and strength of external magnetic fields.     

Precise determination of the 2s(1/2)-2p(1/2) splitting in very heavy lithiumlike ions utilizing dielectronic recombination

The 2s(1/2)-2p(1/2) energy splittings DeltaE(L) of the lithiumlike ions 19779Au76+, 20882Pb79+, and 23892U89+ have been measured at the Experimental Storage Ring, utilizing low energy dielectronic recombination. The resonance energies in total 41 different 1s(2) 2p(1/2)nl(j(')) (n > or =20) autoionizing Rydberg states populated in the dielectronic capture process have been determined. The 2s(1/2)-->2p(1/2) excitation energies have been obtained by extrapolation of these resonance energies to the associated series limits n--> infinity. The combined analysis of the experimental data for all three ions yields DeltaE(L)=216.134(96) eV for Au76+, 230.650(81) eV for Pb79+, and 280.516(99) eV for U89+.