Decomposition of (CH3Xe131)+ Following the Nuclear Decay of CH3I131

The charged fragments resulting from the decay of CH3I131 have been measured by a specially designed mass spectrometer. In 70% of the decays, the parent ion CH3Xe+ remained intact in direct contrast to the decay of CH3T in which hardly any CH3He+ was found [A. H. Snell and F. Pleasonton, J. Phys. Chem. 62, 1377 (1958)]. More than 20 other ions were also detected including the doubly charged methyl xenon (CH2Xe)+2. Their relative abundances are discussed in terms of excitation resulting from the sudden change in nuclear charge, and from multiple Auger processes in cases where internal conversion accompanies the decay.