Atomic lifetime measurements of Ne-like Fe ions in a magnetic field
Among the lowest excited levels in Ne-like ions, that is, of configuration 2p 5 3s, there is a J = 0 level that in a field-free environment decays by a magnetic dipole (M1) transition to the lower J = 1 level of the same configuration only. In the presence of a magnetic field, this level can also decay to the ground configuration J = 0 level. In the course of the first measurement of the 2p 5 3s J = 0 level lifetime and the M1 transition rate the magnetically induced transition (MIT) appeared as a complication that was then turned into a tool. The technical details of the measurement in an electron beam ion trap have been described elsewhere. As a result, we illuminate the physics aspects of the two transition rate measurements and show how the results compare to computations.