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KATRIN Experiment Tightens Neutrino Mass Limit to 0.45 eV

The groundbreaking result, based on 259 days of data, advances understanding of neutrinos and sets the stage for further sensitivity improvements.

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Overview

  • The KATRIN experiment has established an upper limit of 0.45 electronvolts for the neutrino mass, refining previous measurements by nearly a factor of two.
  • This milestone was achieved through the analysis of 36 million electrons collected over 259 days using tritium beta decay to determine neutrino mass kinematics.
  • KATRIN's next goal is to enhance sensitivity to 0.3 eV by the end of its 1,000-day campaign, with data collection continuing through 2025.
  • Planned upgrades, including the TRISTAN detector in 2026, aim to explore sterile neutrinos and advance next-generation neutrino mass measurements.
  • Understanding the neutrino's mass is critical for particle physics and cosmology, offering insights into physics beyond the Standard Model and the evolution of cosmic structures.