Reconstruction of Bremsstrahlung γ-rays spectrum in heavy ion reactions with Richardson-Lucy algorithm

The high momentum tail (HMT) in the momentum distribution of nucleons above the Fermi surface has been regarded as an evidence of short-range correlations (SRCs) in atomic nuclei. It has been showcased recently that the np Bremsstrahlung radiation in heavy ion reactions can be used to extract HMT information. The Richardson-Lucy (RL) algorithm is introduced to the reconstruction of the original Bremsstrahlung γ-ray energy spectrum from experimental measurements. By solving the inverse problem of the detector response to the γ-rays, the original energy spectrum of the Bremsstrahlung γ in 25 MeV/u ⁸⁶Kr + ¹²⁴Sn has been reconstructed and compared to the isospin- and momentum-dependent Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (IBUU) simulations. The analysis based on hypothesis test suggests the existence of the HMT of nucleons in nuclei, in accordance with the previous conclusions. With its effectiveness being demonstrated, it is feasible to apply the RL algorithm in future experiments of measuring the Bremsstrahlung γ-rays in heavy ion reactions.