Hyperfine quenching of the 2s2p 3p0 state of berylliumlike ions

The hyperfine-induced 2s2p P-3(0)-2s(2) S-1(0) transition rate for Be-like Ti-47(18+) was recently measured in a storage-ring experiment by Schippers et at. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 033001 (2007)]. The measured value of 0.56(3) s(-1) is almost 60% larger than the theoretical value of 0.356 s(-1) from a multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock calculation by Marques et al. [Phys. Rev. A 47, 929 (1993)]. In this work, we use a large-scale relativistic configuration-interaction method to calculate these hyperfine-induced rates for ions with Z=6-92. Coherent hyperfine-quenching effects between the 2s2p P-1,3(1) states are included in a perturbative as well as a radiation damping approach. Contrary to the claims of Marques et al., contributions from the I P, state are substantial and lead to a hyperfine-induced rate of 0.67 s(-1), in better agreement with, though larger than, the measured value.