What Are the Final Electronic and Ionic States of 72Ga After Decay to 72Ge?

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SUMMARY

The decay of 72Ga to 72Ge occurs exclusively via electron emission, resulting in the formation of an ionized 72Ge atom. The emitted electron escapes, leading to multiple potential ionic states due to subsequent gamma-ray emissions, which can further ionize the 72Ge ion. While the final state of 72Ge is likely to be its ground state, the immediate state can vary significantly due to the high energy injected into the system during decay.

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Malamala
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Hello! I see that ##^{72}##Ga decays exclusively to ##^{72}##Ge by electron emission. I couldn't find however any paper describing the final electronic state of the ##^{72}##Ge atom. I assume that the electron emitted just escapes, and the resulting ##^{72}##Ge atom is actually an ion? Also the decay to ##^{72}##Ge can happen to many levels, followed by the emission of gamma rays. Are these rays further ionizing the ##^{72}##Ge ion thus the final state of ##^{72}##Ge can have multiple ionic states? Thank you!
 
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Malamala said:
and the resulting ##^{72}##Ge atom is actually an ion?
That's the most likely outcome, yes.
Are these rays further ionizing the ##^{72}##Ge ion thus the final state of ##^{72}##Ge can have multiple ionic states?
That is possible, although it's probably less likely.
 
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The FINAL state is surely the ground state. But the IMMEDIATE state can be lots of things - you've just injected many, many times the ionization energy into the system. It's easy to knock out an electron, and impossible to predict which one.

Sooner or later it will neutralize and de-excite.
 
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mfb said:
That's the most likely outcome, yes.
By a large but predictable margin:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...usg=AOvVaw2VgWw79cEHL4eNv321aFXx&opi=89978449
The prediction from back in 1961 is that for neutron (decay energy 782 keV), the probability of decaying into a bound protium atom is 4,2*10-6, of which 80% is into ground state of hydrogen and 20% into all excited states. For tritium atom (decay energy 18 keV), the probability of decaying into a bound He-3 atom is 6,9*10-3 (0,69%), of which 78% is into ground state and 22% into excited states.
mfb said:
That is possible, although it's probably less likely.
Vanadium 50 said:
It's easy to knock out an electron, and impossible to predict which one.
For any specific decay event.
Is it possible to predict the absorption/excitation spectrum of an atom for its own decay radiation, whether gamma, beta (easier?) or alpha or fission?
 

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