Kernlinie
Kernlinie is a term used in spectroscopy to denote a spectral line arising from transitions involving the innermost electron shell of an atom, the K-shell. When a vacancy is created in the K-shell—for example by X-ray or electron irradiation—an electron from a higher shell drops into the K-shell and emits a characteristic X-ray with an energy specific to the element. These lines are commonly referred to as K-lines, with the primary types being K-alpha (L-shell to K-shell) and K-beta (M-shell to K-shell), among others.
The energy and intensity of Kernlinien depend on the atomic number and the electronic structure of the
Terminology varies by field and author. In many German-language sources the lines corresponding to transitions to
See also: K-shell, characteristic X-ray, K-alpha line, K-beta line, X-ray fluorescence, Moseley’s law.