The lifetimes of the fine structure levels of the Be(-)1s(2)2s2p(2) P-4 metastable state

The problem of computing the autoionization lifetimes of the J = 1/2, 3/2, 5/2 levels of the Be- 1s(2)2s2p(2) P-4 metastable state has been treated by the use of a golden rule formula, the Breit-Pauli Hamiltonian, and quasirelativistic wavefunctions which incorporate the effects of electron correlation, and of core polarization and of resonances via interchannel coupling. For the J = 3/2 lifetime, which is very sensitive to a variety of correlation, relativistic and cancellation effects, the present result of tau(3/2) = 33 mu s is in excellent agreement with the recent experimental value of Balling and co-workers of 45 +/- 5 mu s, thus erasing the existing discrepancy between experiment and earlier theory.