HOLMES, an experiment for a direct measurement of neutrino mass

Puiu, Andrei; Alpert, B.; Balata, M.; Bennett, D.; Biasotti, M.; Boragno, C.; Brofferio, C.; Ceriale, V.; Corsini, D.; Day, P. K.; De Gerone, M.; Dressler, R.; Faverzani, M.; Ferri, E.; Fowler, J.; Gatti, F.; Giachero, A.; Hays-Wehle, J.; Heinitz, S.; Hilton, G.; Kã¶ster, U.; Lusignoli, M.; Maino, M.; Mates, J.; Nisi, S.; Nizzolo, R.; Nucciotti, A.; Pessina, G.; Pizzigoni, G.; Ragazzi, S.; Reintsema, C.; Gomez, M. Ribeiro; Schmidt, D.; Schumann, D.; Sisti, M.; Swetz, D.; Terranova, F.; Ullom, J.

The European Research Council has recently founded HOLMES, an experiment for a direct neutrino mass measurement with a sensitivity as low as 0.4 eV. HOLMES will perform a calorimetric measurement of the the energy released in the Electron Capture (EC) spectrum of 163Ho. The neutrino mass is assessed from the end point of the spectrum; the sensitivity on the mass is strongly dependent on the exact value of the end point, still not precisely known, and on background due to pile up in the region of interest. In the following lines we present an overview of the whole project and its major challenges.

HOLMES, an experiment for a direct measurement of neutrino mass

Puiu, Andrei;Alpert, B.;Balata, M.;Bennett, D.;Biasotti, M.;Boragno, C.;Brofferio, C.;Ceriale, V.;Corsini, D.;Day, P. K.;De Gerone, M.;Dressler, R.;Faverzani, M.;Ferri, E.;Fowler, J.;Gatti, F.;Giachero, A.;Hays-Wehle, J.;Heinitz, S.;Hilton, G.;KÃ¶ster, U.;Lusignoli, M.;Maino, M.;Mates, J.;Nisi, S.;Nizzolo, R.;Nucciotti, A.;Pessina, G.;Pizzigoni, G.;Ragazzi, S.;Reintsema, C.;Gomez, M. Ribeiro;Schmidt, D.;Schumann, D.;Sisti, M.;Swetz, D.;Terranova, F.;Ullom, J.

2015-01-01

Abstract

The European Research Council has recently founded HOLMES, an experiment for a direct neutrino mass measurement with a sensitivity as low as 0.4 eV. HOLMES will perform a calorimetric measurement of the the energy released in the Electron Capture (EC) spectrum of 163Ho. The neutrino mass is assessed from the end point of the spectrum; the sensitivity on the mass is strongly dependent on the exact value of the end point, still not precisely known, and on background due to pile up in the region of interest. In the following lines we present an overview of the whole project and its major challenges.