The Laboratory Measurement of the Line Ratios in X-Ray Emission Resulting from the Charge Exchange Between Mg11+ and Helium

The line ratios in X-ray emission resulting from charge exchange between highly charged ions (HCIs) and neutral atoms are not only crucial for accurately modeling astrophysical X-ray emissions but also offer a unique perspective on the charge exchange processes happening during collisions. The K X-ray spectra following charge exchange between Mg11+ and He are presented for a collision velocity of 1489 km/s (11.5 keV/amu). The spectra were measured by two Silicon Drift Detectors capable of resolving the Mg10+ Kα, Kβ, Kγ, and Kδ+ lines. The line intensity ratios of Kβ, Kγ, and Kδ+ relative to the Kα line, as well as the hardness ratio, were obtained. The experimental results were compared with the theoretical results from a cascade model that utilizes the state cross-sections produced by multichannel Landau–Zener (MCLZ) calculation. It was discovered that the K X-ray spectrum features can be reproduced well by MCLZ theory when the contributions of both single electron capture (SEC) and autoionizing double capture (ADC) processes are included. This finding implies that the ADC feeding mechanism is significant and should be taken into account for the X-ray emission during charge exchange between highly charged ions and multielectron atoms.