Electron capture vs internal conversion electrons vs auger electrons

[lavster]

what is the differece between internal conversion electrons, electron capture and auger electons? i don't understand. The name suggests electron capture and internal conversion electrons are the same thing... but then when i look it up internal conversion electrons seem to be the same as auger electrons... but I am assuming they are three didferent things?
thanks

 

[Astronuc]

With Internal Conversion "instead of emitting a gamma-ray, the nucleus de-excites by knocking out one of the atomic electrons with kinetic energy equal to the decay energy. It is usually the K shell electron that is internally converted because it has the greatest wave function overlap with the nucleus. The hole that is left behind will be repopulated by an electron from a higher atomic shell, usually the L shell, and this L to K transition is accompanied by an X-ray."
Ref: http://www.pma.caltech.edu/~ph77/labs/tabis.pdf (see discussion under ¹³⁷Cs)

In Electron Capture, a proton in the nucleus actually captures an atomic electron, usually a K electron, whereby the proton is transformed into a neutron, and a neutrino is emitted. The atomic number decreases by 1.

Auger electrons are actually caused by X-rays, i.e., photons from atomic electron transitions. It's possible that Auger electrons arise from the X-ray associated with Electron Capture.
http://www.microscopy.ethz.ch/auger.htm
http://www.prenhall.com/settle/chapters/ch42.pdf

FYI - Internal conversion electrons and supernova light curves
http://arxiv.org/abs/1012.4647