Anomalous two-electron auger resonance in thorium near the 5d(O₅) photothreshold

The photoexcited O5P3V (5d 3 2 6p 3 2 valence) Auger emission line for thorium metal shows an anomalous increase in kinetic energy of ∼ 1 eV as the photon energy hv is increased through the atomic-like 5d → 5f resonant excitation at hvr = 89 eV. Possible mechanisms for this anomalous behavior are discussed, and it is suggested that it can be interpreted as a two-electron resonance involving the O5P3V Auger excitation and a shake-up satellite of the 6p 3 2 core level excitation. © 1981.