Exciting the nucleus by target electron capture into atomic orbitals

A new mechanism by which the resonant capture of a target electron by a swiftly moving heavy ion is translated in one step into nuclear excitation is identified. It is in fact the inverse of internal conversion. Predicted resonances have energies ≥ 10 MeV/u, widths specified by the target electrons' momentum distribution, and cross-sections approaching tens of millibarns for some, and appear to be observable under channelling condition.