Theory of the Continuous X-Ray Spectrum

The theory of continuous x-radiation from thin targets---relativity and retardation of potential neglected---is completed by the incoherent integration of the single process transition probabilities over the unit sphere. This is carried out by means of series expansion. Comparison with the absolute intensity determination of Smick-Kirkpatrick gives a result too large by a factor of greater than 2.5. The theory compares satisfactorily with the absolute measurement of Clark-Kelly and the relative measurements of Harworth-Kirkpatrick.