2009MNRAS.395.1523M

Radiative lifetimes of 17 excited levels in Zri, in the energy interval 29000-40974/cm, have been investigated using the time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence method. The levels belong to the 4d²5s5p, 4d³5p and 4d5s²5p electronic configurations and were excited in a single-step process from either the ground term, 4d²5s² a ³F, or from the low-lying 4d²5s² a ³P and a ⁵F terms. For three levels, we confirm previous measurements while for 14 of the levels the lifetimes have been measured for the first time. The experimental results are compared to theoretical calculations performed with a multiconfiguration relativistic Hartree-Fock method including core-polarization effects. Theoretical transition probabilities of astrophysical interest, scaled by the experimental lifetimes, for the depopulating channels of the investigated levels are also presented.