Gamma-induced background in the KATRIN main spectrometer

K. Altenmüller, M. Arenz, W. J. Baek, M. Beck, A. Beglarian, J. Behrens, A. Berlev, U. Besserer, K. Blaum, F. Block, S. Bobien, T. Bode, B. Bornschein, L. Bornschein, H. Bouquet, T. Brunst, N. Buzinsky, S. Chilingaryan, W. Q. Choi, M. DeffertP. J. Doe, O. Dragoun, G. Drexlin, S. Dyba, K. Eitel, E. Ellinger, R. Engel, S. Enomoto, M. Erhard, D. Eversheim, M. Fedkevych, J. A. Formaggio, F. M. Fränkle, G. B. Franklin, F. Friedel, A. Fulst, W. Gil, F. Glück, A. Gonzalez Ureña, R. Grössle, R. Gumbsheimer, M. Hackenjos, V. Hannen, F. Harms, N. Haußmann, F. Heizmann, K. Helbing, W. Herz, S. Hickford, D. Hilk, D. Hillesheimer, M. A. Howe, A. Huber, A. Jansen, C. Karl, J. Kellerer, N. Kernert, L. Kippenbrock, M. Klein, A. Kopmann, M. Korzeczek, A. Kovalík, B. Krasch, A. Kraus, M. Kraus, T. Lasserre, O. Lebeda, B. Lehnert, J. Letnev, A. Lokhov, M. Machatschek, A. Marsteller, E. L. Martin, S. Mertens, S. Mirz, B. Monreal, H. Neumann, S. Niemes, A. Osipowicz, E. Otten, D. S. Parno, A. Pollithy, A. W.P. Poon, F. Priester, P. C.O. Ranitzsch, O. Rest, R. G.H. Robertson, C. Rodenbeck, M. Röllig, C. Röttele, M. Ryšavý, R. Sack, A. Saenz, L. Schimpf, K. Schlösser, M. Schlösser, L. Schlüter, M. Schrank, H. Seitz-Moskaliuk, V. Sibille, M. Slezák, M. Steidl, N. Steinbrink, M. Sturm, M. Suchopar, D. Tcherniakhovski, H. H. Telle, L. A. Thorne, T. Thümmler, N. Titov, I. Tkachev, N. Trost, K. Valerius, D. Vénos, R. Vianden, A. P.Vizcaya Hernández, M. Weber, C. Weinheimer, C. Weiss, S. Welte, J. Wendel, J. F. Wilkerson, J. Wolf, S. Wüstling, S. Zadoroghny, G. Zeller

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

The KATRIN experiment aims to measure the effective electron antineutrino mass mν¯e with a sensitivity of 0.2eV/c2 using a gaseous tritium source combined with the MAC-E filter technique. A low background rate is crucial to achieving the proposed sensitivity, and dedicated measurements have been performed to study possible sources of background electrons. In this work, we test the hypothesis that gamma radiation from external radioactive sources significantly increases the rate of background events created in the main spectrometer (MS) and observed in the focal-plane detector. Using detailed simulations of the gamma flux in the experimental hall, combined with a series of experimental tests that artificially increased or decreased the local gamma flux to the MS, we set an upper limit of 0.006count/s (90% C.L.) from this mechanism. Our results indicate the effectiveness of the electrostatic and magnetic shielding used to block secondary electrons emitted from the inner surface of the MS.

Original languageEnglish
Article number807
JournalEuropean Physical Journal C
Volume79
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Sep 2019

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Gamma-induced background in the KATRIN main spectrometer'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this