X-ray emission followingK−Ldouble ionization by electron impact andKcapture: Vacancy-production probabilities and structure of theKαsatellite spectra

$K\alpha$ x-ray satellites following $K$-electron capture in ${}_{}{}^{55}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Fe}$ and electron impact on Mn have been measured with a high-resolution spectrometer. Ratios of double- to single-vacancy-production probability are found to be $P_{\mathrm{KL}}=(2.5\mathrm{}\pm 0.5)\times {10}^{-3\mathrm{}} \mathrm{and} (9.5\mathrm{}\pm 0.9)\times {10}^{-3\mathrm{}}$ for capture and impact, respectively. An evaluation of vacancy rearrangement in the $L$ shell before satellite emission has been carried out with the use of published level widths. It is found that in electron impact, as distinct from $K$ capture, essentially only satellites associated with a $2p$ spectator vacancy are observed. This observation is at variance with certain commonly used satellite assignments. Energies and intensities of the satellite transitions have been calculated in intermediate coupling and coordinations are proposed for the stronger lines.