Regularized Unfolding of gamma-ray Spectra for Nuclear Physics Applications

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Lima, E., Braseth, L. L., Mjøs, A. H., Hjorth-Jensen, M., Kvellestad, A., Larsen, A. C.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Lima, E.
Braseth, L. L.
Mjøs, A. H.
Hjorth-Jensen, M.
Kvellestad, A.
Larsen, A. C.
author_facet Lima, E.
Braseth, L. L.
Mjøs, A. H.
Hjorth-Jensen, M.
Kvellestad, A.
Larsen, A. C.
contents Reconstructing gamma-ray spectra from detector measurements is an ill-posed inverse problem. Standard methods, such as Folding Iteration with Compton Subtraction (FICS), provide point estimates but lack calibrated uncertainties and may bias the spectrum. We introduce an unfolding framework based on regularized maximum-likelihood estimation (RMLE) that enforces non-negativity and detector-response constraints while explicitly modeling background and contaminant contributions. Simulations and analytical results show that RMLE yields smoother reconstructions with well-calibrated confidence intervals and outperforms existing techniques for low-complexity spectra. Although high-complexity data remain challenging, the intervals produced by RMLE maintain correct coverage.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_16687
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Regularized Unfolding of gamma-ray Spectra for Nuclear Physics Applications
Lima, E.
Braseth, L. L.
Mjøs, A. H.
Hjorth-Jensen, M.
Kvellestad, A.
Larsen, A. C.
Instrumentation and Detectors
Nuclear Experiment
Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability
Reconstructing gamma-ray spectra from detector measurements is an ill-posed inverse problem. Standard methods, such as Folding Iteration with Compton Subtraction (FICS), provide point estimates but lack calibrated uncertainties and may bias the spectrum. We introduce an unfolding framework based on regularized maximum-likelihood estimation (RMLE) that enforces non-negativity and detector-response constraints while explicitly modeling background and contaminant contributions. Simulations and analytical results show that RMLE yields smoother reconstructions with well-calibrated confidence intervals and outperforms existing techniques for low-complexity spectra. Although high-complexity data remain challenging, the intervals produced by RMLE maintain correct coverage.
title Regularized Unfolding of gamma-ray Spectra for Nuclear Physics Applications
topic Instrumentation and Detectors
Nuclear Experiment
Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.16687