The Laboratory Measurement of the Line Ratios in X-Ray Emission Resulting from the Charge Exchange Between Mg<sup>11+</sup> and Helium

The line ratios in X-ray emission resulting from charge exchange between highly charged ions (HCIs) and neutral atoms are not only crucial for accurately modeling astrophysical X-ray emissions but also offer a unique perspective on the charge exchange processes happening during collisions. The <i...

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Main Authors: Kebao Shu, Caojie Shao, Shuo Zhang, Ruitian Zhang, Cheng Qian, Yingli Xue, Mingwu Zhang, Jinlei Tian, Zhenqiang Wang, Xiaolong Zhu, Liangting Sun, Junxia Ran, Deyang Yu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Atoms
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2218-2004/13/4/34
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Summary:The line ratios in X-ray emission resulting from charge exchange between highly charged ions (HCIs) and neutral atoms are not only crucial for accurately modeling astrophysical X-ray emissions but also offer a unique perspective on the charge exchange processes happening during collisions. The <i>K</i> X-ray spectra following charge exchange between Mg<sup>11+</sup> and He are presented for a collision velocity of 1489 km/s (11.5 keV/amu). The spectra were measured by two Silicon Drift Detectors capable of resolving the Mg<sup>10+</sup> <i>K</i>α, <i>K</i>β, <i>K</i>γ, and <i>K</i>δ+ lines. The line intensity ratios of <i>K</i>β, <i>K</i>γ, and <i>K</i>δ+ relative to the <i>K</i>α line, as well as the hardness ratio, were obtained. The experimental results were compared with the theoretical results from a cascade model that utilizes the state cross-sections produced by multichannel Landau–Zener (MCLZ) calculation. It was discovered that the <i>K</i> X-ray spectrum features can be reproduced well by MCLZ theory when the contributions of both single electron capture (SEC) and autoionizing double capture (ADC) processes are included. This finding implies that the ADC feeding mechanism is significant and should be taken into account for the X-ray emission during charge exchange between highly charged ions and multielectron atoms.
ISSN:2218-2004