Effect of beta-electron capture to a bound state on delayed-neutron emission from fission fragments

The effect of ionization of the atomic electron shell on beta decay is investigated. The change in the beta-decay probability is due primarily to the appearance of the channel involving beta-electron capture to a bound state. It is shown that the effect may be significant at low beta-transition energies. The magnitude of the effect was studied in the case of the emission of one to three delayed neutrons following the beta decay of fission fragments. In the calculations, use was made of the beta-decay strength function with allowance for the population of isobaric resonances in daughter nuclei. The effect proved to be maximal for fragments where the numbers of protons and neutrons approach those in closed shells and subshells, thereby illustrating the role of the shell structure of the nucleus in fission.