MULTICONFIGURATION DIRAC-FOCK CALCULATION OF 2S(1 2)-2P(3/2) TRANSITION ENERGIES IN HIGHLY IONIZED BISMUTH, THORIUM, AND URANIUM/

Structure and QED effects for 2s(1/2) and 2p(3/2) levels are calculate d for lithiumlike U89+ trough neonlike U82+, lithiumlike Th87+ trough neonlike Th80+ and lithiumlike Bi80+ trough neonlike Bi73+ The results of the first two sets are compared with recent measurements of the 2s (1/2) - 2p(3/2) transition energy in 3 to 10-electron ions. Good agree ment with experiment is found for most of the observed lines. Forty-on e possible transitions are calculated for each ion in the eight ioniza tion states, in the experimental energy range. Twenty-eight of these t ransitions have not been observed, nor calculated previously. We also calculate transition rates, branching ratios, excitation and ionizatio n cross sections and confirm that the thirteen experimental observed t ransitions correspond to the ones with highest relative intensities. H owever, we find nineteen more transitions that could be measured in a more sensitive experiment.