Radiative Decay Rates of Vacancies in the<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mi>K</mml:mi></mml:math>and<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mi>L</mml:mi></mml:math>Shells

A calculation is made of the rates of emission of x rays in the filling of vacancies in the $K$ and $L$ shells. The total radiative decay rates and the rates of emission of a number of x-ray lines are presented for a range of elements. The atomic electrons are taken to be in single-particle states in a central potential given by the relativistic Hartree-Slater theory. All multipoles of the radiation field and all transitions from occupied states of the atom are included. The electrons are treated relativistically and the effect of retardation is included.