Evaluation of beta-decay : II. Finite mass and size effects

The effects on the rate of allowed beta-decay of finite masses for the neutrino and for the nucleus are evaluated. The effects of the finite size of the nucleus in determining the magnitude of the electron wavefunction within the nucleus is evaluated for the case that the nuclear charge distribution is represented by a uniformly charged sphere; this evaluation is parameterized analytically with an accuracy of 1 part in 10⁴ for values of the nuclear radius corresponding to the region between the neutron and proton drip lines for Z ≤ 60. The effects of the convolution of the nucleon and lepton wavefunctions are evaluated in alternative approximations for the case that the nucleon wavefunctions are constant within the nuclear volume. The results of the convolution are presented graphically and are also parameterized analytically.