Mainz 2014 – scientific programme

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T: Fachverband Teilchenphysik

T 89: Niederenergie-Neutrinophysik 4

T 89.5: Talk

Wednesday, March 26, 2014, 17:50–18:05, P106

The Electron Capture Ho-163 experiment ECHo: an overview — •Loredana Gastaldo for the ECHo collaboration — Kirchhoff Institute for Physics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany

The Electron Capture Ho-163 experiment, ECHo, aims to investigate the electron neutrino mass in the sub-eV range by means of the analysis of the calorimetrically measured energy spectrum following the electron capture process of Ho-163. In the ECHo experiment, arrays of low temperature metallic magnetic calorimeters with high energy resolution and fast response time, having the Ho-163 source embedded in the absorber, will be used to calorimetrically measure the EC spectrum. A precise description of the expected spectrum will be achieved by theoretical calculations based on Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Quasiparticle Random Phase Approximation (QRPA) supported also by experimental investigations. Moreover, independent measurements of the Q-value will be performed using high precision Penning traps. For the measurements of Q as well as for the calorimetric measurement of the Ho-163 spectrum, high purity Ho-163 sources will be produced. Detailed studies of the background and of methods to reduce it will be performed in order to increase the sensitivity of the calorimetric measurement.