Particle line shapes in heavy-ion reactions

The kinetic energy of excited heavy ions produced at high velocity in a nuclear reaction can be modified in flight as a result of emission of ..gamma.. rays. It is shown that the resulting broadened ion-energy line shapes can be expressed analytically and have a pattern which depends on the relative m-substrate populations produced in the reaction. Previously unexplained spectra are interpreted in this manner and the derived m-substate populations compared with calculations. (AIP)