An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

An electron that is emitted when an electron from a higher → energy level falls into a → vacancy in an inner shell, according to the → Auger-Meitner effect.

The process usually occurs when the atom is bombarded with high energy electrons.

If the collision ejects an inner-shell electron, an electron from a higher level will quickly drop to this lower level to fill the vacancy.

Most of the time, the energy is released in the form of a photon.

But sometimes the energy is transferred to another electron, which is ejected from the atom.

See also: → Auger-Meitner effect; → electron.