Reliability of the peak-analysis results in gamma-ray spectrometry for high relative peak-area uncertainties

• The peak analysis results at high relative uncertainties were examined for reliability.
• The investigation was performed on a series of gamma-ray spectra of radon daughters.
• It was found that the probability for type-II errors for peaks corresponding the decision threshold is about 30%.
• A systematic influence on the peak areas was observed at relative uncertainties above 35%.

When measurement results with values near the decision threshold are being considered, a relative uncertainty of 60% is expected. Since such measurement results can be reported, the performance of the peak-analysing software for gamma-ray spectra needs to be examined for peaks that have a large relative uncertainty. The investigation was performed on a series of spectra measured with a HPGe detector under identical counting conditions. It was found that under a limit value of the relative peak area uncertainty the peak-analysis results are reliable with respect to both the peak location and the peak area evaluation. At relative uncertainties exceeding this uncertainty, the probability of type-II errors increases and a systematic influence on the peak area occurs, which originates in fluctuations of the continuous background in the vicinity of the peak. For the counting conditions used in this investigation, the limit relative uncertainty is about 35%, and whereas a systematic influence can be taken into account by a correction factor, the frequency of the type-II errors can only be reduced at the expense of increasing the frequency of the type-I errors.