The Emission of X-rays by Fission Fragments

Approximately 5% of the ~t -ray transitions in fission fragments are internally converted, giving rise to X-rays. X-ray energies are characteristic of Z, but yields depend strongly and not smoothly on Z and A of the fragments and on time. If these biases can be accepted, X-rays can be used to identify the atomic number of fission fragments. More generally, internal conversion and X-ray emission must be interpreted in the context of detailed knowledge of ~t -ray transitions.