A few days ago, I wrote this about the possibility of inducing beta decay and electron capture in beta-unstable isotopes:
Consider that three-body electron-related decays involve a broadband > spectrum, and that the primary decay products will carry most of the energy > (I think) and any deexcitation gammas will have to make due with the small > portion of remaining Q that is left over. > It also occurs to me that whatever is increasing the electron charge density in the nuclear volume (e.g., the promotion of p-shell and d-shell electrons into s-shells) will perhaps also increase the internal conversion rate as well. For example, if two or three orbital electrons are bumped up into s-shells by a laser, they will spend more time in the nucleus, and when it de-excites after the emission of a beta particle, their presence will perhaps increase the likelihood of an electron being ejected from the atom in place of de-excitation through the emission of a gamma. What is the likelihood of several electrons being promoted to s-shells in a short period of time, e.g., by laser stimulation or by UV radiation of a suitable wavelength? Eric
