The Gaunt factor (or Kramers–Gaunt factor) is a correction factor that accounts for the effect of quantum mechanics on an object's continuous x-ray absorption or emission spectrum. In cases where classical physics provides a close approximation to the true spectrum, the Gaunt factor is close to 1. When quantum physics becomes important, it becomes bigger or smaller than 1.[1]
The Gaunt factor was named after the physicist John Arthur Gaunt, based on his work on the quantum mechanics of continuous absorption.[2] Gaunt used
a 'g' function in his 1930 work, which Chandrasekhar named the 'Gaunt factor' in 1939.[3] It is sometimes named the Kramers-Gaunt factor as Gaunt incorporated the work of Hendrik Anthony Kramers.
^Dopita, Michael A.; Sutherland, Ralph S. (2003). Astrophysics of the diffuse universe. Astronomy and astrophysics library. Springer. p. 128. ISBN3-540-43362-7.
^Garstang, R. H. (May 1993). "Gaunt and his Factor". Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society. 25: 934. Bibcode:1993AAS...182.8104G.
