Comment on the lifetime of the Li1s2p2P2state: How probable is radiative autoionization?

The $1s2p^2{}_{}{}^2{}_{}{}^{}P$ state of lithium can autoionize by decaying radiatively into the adjacent continuum. The probability is smaller than the discrete transition probability to the ground state $1s^{2}2p{}_{}{}^2{}_{}{}^{}P_{}^o{}_{}{}^{}$ and equal to the decay probability to the ${}_{}{}^2{}_{}{}^{}P_{}^o{}_{}{}^{}$ Rydberg series. Our theoretical lifetime, $\tau =0.041\mathrm{}\times {10}^{-9\mathrm{}}$ sec, differs from the experimental value of $\tau =0.015\mathrm{}\pm 0.01\times {10}^{-9\mathrm{}}$ sec. The mechanism of radiative autoionization affects the deexcitation dynamics of many valence excited states of neutral species.