GRAVEL unfolding of gamma-ray spectra of CeBr3 detectors and related uncertainties

Abstract

Unfolded spectra are needed for the application of some spectrum analysis methods. Frequently, iterative deconvolution methods are used, especially if the spectra have a high resolution. However, the uncertainties on the obtained results are difficult to judge. In general, the user of an unfolding code gets no information on the influence of chosen parameters, especially the choice of the first estimate of the unfolded spectrum. General studies regarding the uncertainties of unfolding algorithms are difficult to perform, if not impossible, and therefore not available. In this work, uncertainties of the results on the iterative GRAVEL algorithm, which is based on SAND II, are closely investigated by using medium resolution spectra recorded by using a CeBr3 detector. Relevant parameters are varied systematically to gain some information on the associated uncertainties on the basis of examples. The uncertainty budget of the calculation of total fluences and doses of unfolded spectra is compared with the uncertainty budget of the results obtained by applying the conversion method. The results allow, at least, the estimation of the magnitude of typical uncertainties.