Perspectives on the measurement of competitive double gamma decay with the AGATA tracking array
Résumé
The double-gamma decay is a second order electromagnetic process where two photons are emitted simultaneously. It is characterized by low branching ratios, making its measurement interesting both theoretically and also experimentally. Although this process has been already observed in the past, a recent publication claimed its observation in competition with the single gamma decay. A measurement of this process with the AGATA spectrometer (Advanced GAmma Tracking Array) will deliver more detailed results. A test of feasibility of this challenging measurement has been performed through GEANT4 simulations of the decay of the 137Ba isotope. Particular emphasis is placed on the tracking algorithm which allows to reconstruct a scattering gamma-ray event based on the position and energy of every interaction point within the AGATA germanium detector.