title: Calculation of the correlation coefficients between the numbers of counts (peak areas and backgrounds) obtained from gamma-ray spectra.
abstract: Two simple methods for calculating the correlations between peaks appearing in gamma-ray spectra are described. We show how the areas are correlated when the peaks do not overlap, but the spectral regions used for the calculation of the background below the peaks do. When the peaks overlap, the correlation can be stronger than in the case of the non-overlapping peaks. The methods presented are simplified to the extent of allowing their implementation with manual calculations. They are intended for practitioners as additional tools to be used when the correlations between the areas of the peaks in the gamma-ray spectra are to be calculated. Also, the correlation coefficient between the number of counts in the peak and the number of counts in the continuous background below the peak is derived.
authors: "Jožef Stefan" Institute, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: matjaz.korun@ijs.si.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Korun
authors: "Jožef Stefan" Institute, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Vodenik
authors: "Jožef Stefan" Institute, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Zorko
keywords: Continuous background; Correlation coefficients; Gamma-ray spectrometry; Least-squares method; Peak areas