The total photoionization cross section for the 3d(x) ground state Fe ions,
Fe III through Fe VIII, is calculated from the ionization threshold to the
K edge including resonance features. The R-matrix method is used, the work
being undertaken as part of the international RmaX ('R-matrix for x-ray pr
ocesses') network. The dynamics of the photoionization process is illustrat
ed by examining isonuclear trends and by quantifying some of the main reson
ance features due to inner-shell processes, particularly the large resonanc
es arising from photoexcitation of the core (np(5)3d(x+1)) and the K edge.
We also show that to calculate the cross section correctly through a deep i
nner-shell edge, requires the inclusion of states with inner-shell vacancie
s in all the preceding subshells.