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Title: Calculation of molecular final states and their effect on a precision neutrino mass experiment

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6961519

An experiment to determine the electron neutrino mass is being performed with the precision of a few electron volts by measuring the tritium beta decay energy distribution near the endpoint. At the few electron volt level, a major consideration in the choice of a tritium source is the effect of excited final atomic or molecular states on the beta decay distribution. It is important to choose a source for which the initial and final states can be accurately calculated. Frozen tritium was chosen as the source since the states of molecular tritium and those of the HeT/sup +/ daughter ion have electronic wavefunctions that can be calculated with high accuracy. The effects of final excited states on the neutrino mass determination and the results of these calculations are described.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA); Rockefeller Univ., New York (USA); Fermi National Accelerator Lab., Batavia, IL (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
OSTI ID:
6961519
Report Number(s):
UCRL-90687; CONF-840150-4; ON: DE84011071
Resource Relation:
Conference: 4. Moriond workshop on massive neutrinos in particle and astro-physics, La Plagne, France, 15 Jan 1984; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English