The intensities of $L$-shell Auger and Coster-Kronig transitions in heavy atoms have been calculated relativistically. A detailed comparison is made with measured Auger spectra of Pt and U. The pertinent transition energies were computed from relativistic wave functions with inclusion of the Breit interaction, self-energy, a vacuum-polarization correction, and complete atomic relaxation. Multiplet splitting is found to distribute Auger electrons from certain transitions among several lines. The analysis leads to reassignment of a number of lines in the measured spectra. Lines originally identified as $L_2-L_3{N}_i$ in the U spectrum are shown to arise from $M_{4,5}$ Auger transitions instead. The effect of relativity on $L_3-MM$ Auger-transition intensity ratios is studied; in some cases, these ratios are found to be affected by as much as 50% by the inclusion of relativity, while in others the ratios change little. This variation in response can be traced to the different factors through which relativity influences radiationless transition probabilities.

• Received 25 January 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.20.385