Nuclear recoil effect on the magnetic-dipole decay rates of atomic levels

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the finite nuclear mass influences magnetic-dipole transition probabilities between atomic levels, deriving a nonrelativistic recoil correction formula using QED and providing numerical results for relevant transitions.

Contribution

It introduces a rigorous QED-based nonrelativistic formula for recoil corrections to magnetic-dipole transition rates, applicable to atomic fine-structure levels.

Findings

Recoil correction formula derived for magnetic-dipole transitions.

Numerical results provided for experimentally relevant transitions.

Recoil effects are significant for precise atomic transition measurements.

Abstract

The effect of finite nuclear mass on the magnetic-dipole transition probabilities between fine-structure levels of the same term is investigated. Based on a rigorous QED approach a nonrelativistic formula for the recoil correction to first order in m_e/M is derived. Numerical results for transitions of experimental interest are presented.