Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 March 2019
Nowadays x-ray fluorescence analysis is one of the major techniques for determination of trace elements. Vacuum operated Si (Li) .energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometers can analyze simultaneously up to 50 elements from Na (Z=11) to U (Z = 92) . Proper interpretation of the accumulated spectra requires correct solution of x-ray line overlap problems. In many cases knowledge of x-ray intensity ratios can make the procedure for resolving the overlapped peaks more reliable and reproducible. Measurements of radiative transition rates can also provide fundamental tests of theoretical atomic structure calculations. There are many other useful applications of x-ray emission rates in theoretical and experimental physics. On the other hand, there are differences in the published data, which suggests that x-ray intensity ratios are still not known with the necessary accuracy, and new measurements are useful and necessary.