Analysis methods for the first KATRIN neutrino-mass measurement
We report on the data set, data handling, and detailed analysis techniques of the first neutrino-mass measurement by the Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino (KATRIN) experiment, which probes the absolute neutrino-mass scale via the $\beta$-decay kinematics of molecular tritium. The source is highly pure,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Physical Society (APS)
2022
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/141793 |
| _version_ | 1811070103901437952 |
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| author | Formaggio, Joseph |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Laboratory for Nuclear Science |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Laboratory for Nuclear Science Formaggio, Joseph |
| author_sort | Formaggio, Joseph |
| collection | MIT |
| description | We report on the data set, data handling, and detailed analysis techniques of
the first neutrino-mass measurement by the Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino (KATRIN)
experiment, which probes the absolute neutrino-mass scale via the $\beta$-decay
kinematics of molecular tritium. The source is highly pure, cryogenic T$_2$
gas. The $\beta$ electrons are guided along magnetic field lines toward a
high-resolution, integrating spectrometer for energy analysis. A silicon
detector counts $\beta$ electrons above the energy threshold of the
spectrometer, so that a scan of the thresholds produces a precise measurement
of the high-energy spectral tail. After detailed theoretical studies,
simulations, and commissioning measurements, extending from the molecular
final-state distribution to inelastic scattering in the source to subtleties of
the electromagnetic fields, our independent, blind analyses allow us to set an
upper limit of 1.1 eV on the neutrino-mass scale at a 90\% confidence level.
This first result, based on a few weeks of running at a reduced source
intensity and dominated by statistical uncertainty, improves on prior limits by
nearly a factor of two. This result establishes an analysis framework for
future KATRIN measurements, and provides important input to both particle
theory and cosmology. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T08:24:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/141793 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T08:24:37Z |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publisher | American Physical Society (APS) |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1417932023-12-08T17:26:43Z Analysis methods for the first KATRIN neutrino-mass measurement Formaggio, Joseph Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Laboratory for Nuclear Science We report on the data set, data handling, and detailed analysis techniques of the first neutrino-mass measurement by the Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino (KATRIN) experiment, which probes the absolute neutrino-mass scale via the $\beta$-decay kinematics of molecular tritium. The source is highly pure, cryogenic T$_2$ gas. The $\beta$ electrons are guided along magnetic field lines toward a high-resolution, integrating spectrometer for energy analysis. A silicon detector counts $\beta$ electrons above the energy threshold of the spectrometer, so that a scan of the thresholds produces a precise measurement of the high-energy spectral tail. After detailed theoretical studies, simulations, and commissioning measurements, extending from the molecular final-state distribution to inelastic scattering in the source to subtleties of the electromagnetic fields, our independent, blind analyses allow us to set an upper limit of 1.1 eV on the neutrino-mass scale at a 90\% confidence level. This first result, based on a few weeks of running at a reduced source intensity and dominated by statistical uncertainty, improves on prior limits by nearly a factor of two. This result establishes an analysis framework for future KATRIN measurements, and provides important input to both particle theory and cosmology. 2022-04-08T12:59:54Z 2022-04-08T12:59:54Z 2021 2022-04-08T12:53:32Z Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/141793 Formaggio, Joseph. 2021. "Analysis methods for the first KATRIN neutrino-mass measurement." Physical Review D, 104 (1). en 10.1103/PHYSREVD.104.012005 Physical Review D Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ application/pdf American Physical Society (APS) APS |
| spellingShingle | Formaggio, Joseph Analysis methods for the first KATRIN neutrino-mass measurement |
| title | Analysis methods for the first KATRIN neutrino-mass measurement |
| title_full | Analysis methods for the first KATRIN neutrino-mass measurement |
| title_fullStr | Analysis methods for the first KATRIN neutrino-mass measurement |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis methods for the first KATRIN neutrino-mass measurement |
| title_short | Analysis methods for the first KATRIN neutrino-mass measurement |
| title_sort | analysis methods for the first katrin neutrino mass measurement |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/141793 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT formaggiojoseph analysismethodsforthefirstkatrinneutrinomassmeasurement |