Racah seniority number

was introduced by Giulio Racah for the classification of electrons in an atomic configuration.

[1] The "seniority number", in a loosing statement, is quantum number additional to the total angular momentum

magnetic quantum number,

is electrons' orbital angular momenta, and

The equation above shows there is no interaction unless the two electrons' orbital angular momenta are coupled to

The eigenvalue is the "seniority number"