Significance of M2 and E3 transitions for $4p^54d^{N+1}$ and $4p^64d^{N-1}4f$ configuration metastable level lifetimes

TL;DR

This paper calculates and analyzes magnetic quadrupole and electric octupole transitions in specific ion configurations, revealing their critical impact on metastable level lifetimes across various isoelectronic sequences, with some lifetimes changing by over tenfold.

Contribution

It provides comprehensive calculations of higher multipole transitions and demonstrates their significant influence on metastable level lifetimes in multiple ion sequences.

Findings

Higher multipole transitions can alter lifetimes by over ten times.

Magnetic quadrupole and electric octupole transitions are crucial for accurate lifetime predictions.

Systematic trends of radiative lifetimes across isoelectronic sequences were identified.

Abstract

Magnetic quadrupole and electric octupole transitions from the configurations $4p^54d^{N+1}$ and $4p^64d^{N-1}4f$ were calculated along with magnetic dipole, electric dipole and electric quadrupole radiative transitions in quasirelativistic Hartree-Fock approximation. Their significance in determining the metastable level radiative lifetimes was investigated along several isoelectronic sequences for the ions from $Z=50$ to $Z=92$. Strontium-like ions, zirconium-like ions, molybdenum-like ions and rhodium-like ions were studied comprehensively. Remaining isoelectronic sequences with the ground configuration $4d^{N}$ ($N=1,3,5,7,8,10$) were also reviewed albeit in less detail. A systematic trends of determined total radiative lifetimes were studied. The importance of magnetic quadrupole and electric octupole transitions from metastable levels of ions from these isoelectronic sequences was investigated and discussed. Inclusion of such transitions of higher multipole order can change theoretical radiative lifetime values for some levels more than ten times. These cases can not be established in advance, without `performing detailed calculations.