Direct Neutrino Mass Measurements based on Tritium beta decay in the Katrin Experiment and the novel spectroscopic method of Project 8
Dr. Thomas Thümmler (KIT Karlsruhe)

Neutrino properties and especially the determination of the neutrino mass play an important role at the intersections of cosmology, particle physics, and astroparticle physics. The method of choice to determine the neutrino mass in a model-independent way is the investigation of single beta decay electrons of tritium close to their kinematic endpoint. The KArlsruhe TRItium Neutrino experiment (KATRIN) is in its final state of commissioning. Applying an ultraluminous molecular windowless gaseous tritium source and an integrating highresolution spectrometer of MAC-E filter type, KATRIN allows beta spectroscopy close to the kinematic endpoint with unprecedented precision and will reach a sensitivity of 200 meV/c2 (90% C.L.) on the neutrino mass. In Project 8, Cyclotron Radiation Emission Spectroscopy (CRES) is being explored as a novel spectroscopic method to investigate single beta decay electrons by transforming the energy measurement into a frequency measurement. This talk will give an overview on the principles, the status, and the commissioning progress of KATRIN before the CRES method and its proof-of-principle measurements with Project 8 will be discussed.