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Proc. Neutrino Astrophysics - MPP Theory Group

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162<br />

Figure 1: Calorimetric β − spectrum of 187 Re plus a multi-lines X-ray fluorescence spectrum<br />

due to an external calibration source (see text).<br />

The isotope 163 Ho decays by electron capture (EC) with the subsequent emission of an<br />

electron neutrino. The EC decay is followed by the emission of Auger electrons and X-rays<br />

due to the electronic cloud excitation of the daughter atom. For each occupied energy level<br />

from which the electron capture is energetically allowed, there is a line in the calorimetric<br />

energy spectrum. The effect of a finite neutrino mass should manifest itself as a variation of<br />

the ratios of the relative EC probabilities. Measuring N lines of the calorimetric spectrum,<br />

it is possible to set N − 1 simultaneous constraints on the neutrino mass and the end-point<br />

value Q from the relative ratios of the integral value of each spectral line.<br />

Enclosing the 163 Ho source in a suitable absorber of a micro-calorimeter it has been<br />

possible to measure [2, 3] four lines of the calorimetric spectrum (see Fig. 2.a), but the<br />

statistics of this measurement is not high enough to set a significant limit on the neutrino<br />

mass. Considering a zero value of the neutrino mass, the end-point energy has been calculated<br />

by a fit procedure and it is turned out to be Eend−point = (2800 ±50)eV. Taking into account<br />

this end-point value it should be possible to set a kinematical limit to the neutrino mass by<br />

means of this calorimetric method lower than 170 eV/c 2 in 50 days of data taking. Running<br />

more than one detector at the same time it will be possible to further improve the achievable<br />

mass limit. Although the limit on neutrino mass could not be competitive with the achievable<br />

limit on electron anti-neutrino mass, we believe it is meaningful to set independent limits on<br />

the masses of the electron neutrino and anti-neutrino.<br />

Another important application of this kind of detector is the measurement of the solar<br />

neutrino flux in radiochemical solar neutrino experiments. In these experiments the integrated<br />

value of the solar neutrino flux is measured counting the extracted isotope which is

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