An unambiguous procedure for discovering relaxation influence on Mössbauer spectra

A mathematical procedure which gives an opportunity to distinguish between relaxation and distribution mechanisms of the Mössbauer line broadening is proposed. It is based on the method of Mössbauer line sharpening developed recently [1] and allows one to answer unambiguously the question whether or not relaxation manifests itself in Mössbauer measurements by examining the wings of the spectrum. The procedure is applied to the spectra of high spin ferric metmyoglobin and (Fe_0.65Ni_0.35)_1-xMn_x alloys. Analysis of the metmyoglobin spectra manifests the presence of the relaxation influence in the temperature range 10 K≦T≦100 K. Analysis of the alloy spectra shows that for the temperatures 4 K≦T≦300 K and Mn concentrations 0≦x≦0.245 no relaxation is observed and the line broadening is mainly caused by the distributions of magnetic hyperfine fields. A possible explanation of this result is given.