Gamma-rays energy spectrum

Gamma spectroscopy is a radiochemistry measurement method that determines the energy and count rate of gamma rays emitted by radioactive substances. Gamma spectroscopy is an extremely important measurement. A detailed analysis of the gamma ray energy spectrum is used to determine the identity and quantity of gamma emitters present in a material. 

Fig. 1.3. (a) The gamma-ray energy spectrum for the three-photon decay of... 

Figure 12 A gamma-ray energy spectrum recorded with a Ge detector. (This is the spectrum from a human hair sample irradiated in a reactor.)...

FIGURE 3. Energy spectrum of particles at lower energies, (a) Solar minimum proton energy spectrum, (b) Solar maximum proton energy spectrum, (c) Gamma-ray energy spectrum, (d) Local interstellar electron spectrum. 

To determine reaction rates from the gamma spectrum, the analyst has to know the counting efficiency of the detector, i.e., the ratio of the number of recorded pulses to the number of gamma rays emitted by the source. For germanium detectors, this depends on several factors, the most important of which are the geometry and the gamma-ray energy. 

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