What does "energy resolution" indicate in a radiation detector?

Energy resolution in a radiation detector refers to the device's ability to differentiate between different radiation energies. This is a crucial characteristic, especially in applications where understanding the specific energy of the detected radiation is important for analysis, such as identifying isotopes or characterizing radiation sources.

High energy resolution means that the detector can distinguish between radiation events that have close energy levels, providing a clearer and more accurate spectrum of the detected radiation. This capability is essential for applications like spectroscopy, where precise identification of the energy levels of radiation is necessary for accurate results.

The other responses do not accurately capture the definition of energy resolution. While accuracy in measuring radiation levels, overall sensitivity, and processing time are important characteristics of detectors, they do not specifically pertain to the ability to differentiate radiation energies, which is the defining aspect of energy resolution.