First operation of the KATRIN experiment with tritium
Authors: Aker Max , Altenmüller Konrad , Arenz Marius , Baek Woo-Jeong , Barrett John , Beglarian Armen , Behrens Jan , Berlev Anatoly , Besserer Uwe , Blaum Klaus , Block Fabian , Bobien Steffen , Bornschein Beate , Bornschein Lutz , Bouquet Heiko , Brunst Tim , Caldwell Thomas S. , Chilingaryan Suren , Choi Wonqook , Debowski Karol , Deffert Marco , Descher Martin , Díaz Barrero Deseada , Doe Peter J. , Dragoun Otokar , Drexlin Guido , Dyba Stephan , Edzards Frank , Eitel Klaus , Ellinger Enrico , Engel Ralph , Enomoto Sanshiro , Eversheim Dieter , Fedkevych Mariia , Felden Arne , Formaggio Joseph A. , Fränkle Florian M. , Franklin Gregg B. , Frankrone Heinz , Friedel Fabian , Fuchs Dominik , Fulst Alexander , Gauda Kevin , Gil Woosik , Glück Ferenc , Grohmann Steffen , Grössle Robin , Gumbsheimer Rainer , Hackenjos Moritz , Hannen Volker , Hartmann Julius , Haußmann Norman , Ha-Minh Martin , Heizmann Florian , Heizmann Johannes , Helbing Klaus , Hickford Stephanie , Hillesheimer David , Hinz Dominic , Höhn Thomas , Holzapfel Bernhard , Holzmann Siegfried , Houdy Thibaut , Howe Mark A. , Huber Anton , Jansen Alexander , Karl Christian , Kellerer Jonas , Kernert Norbert , Kippenbrock Luke , Klein Manuel , Köhler Christoph , Köllenberger Leonard , Kopmann Andreas , Korzeczek Marc , Kovalík Alojz , Krasch Bennet , Krause Holger , Kuffner Benedikt , Kunka Norbert , Lasserre Thierry , La Cascio Luisa , Lebeda Ondřej , Lebert Manuel , Lehnert Björn , Letnev Johann , Leven Fabian , Le Thanh-Long , Lichter Steffen , Lokhov Alexey , Machatschek Moritz , Malcherek Emma , Mark Martin , Marsteller Alexander , Martin Eric L. , Megas Fotios , Melzer Christin , Menshikov Alexander , Mertens Susanne , Meier Matthias , Mirz Sebastian , Monreal Benjamin , Morales Guzmán Pablo I. , Müller Klaus , Naumann Uwe , Neumann Holger , Niemes Simon , Noe Mathias , Off Andreas , Ortjohann Hans-Werner , Osipowicz Alexander , Otten Ernst , Parno Diana S. , Pollithy Anna , Poon Alan W. P. , Lopez Poyato J. Manuel , Priester Florian , Ranitzsch Philipp C.-O. , Rest Oliver , Rinderspacher Rolf , Robertson R. G. Hamish , Rodenbeck Caroline , Rohr Petra , Röllig Marco , Röttele Carsten , Ryšavý Miloš , Sack Rudolf , Saenz Alejandro , Schäfer Peter , Schimpf Lutz , Schlösser Klaus , Schlösser Magnus , Schlüter Lisa , Schrank Michael , Schulz Bruno , Seitz-Moskaliuk Hendrik , Seller Waldemar , Sibille Valérian , Siegmann Daniel , Slezák Martin , Spanier Felix , Steidl Markus , Steven Madlen , Sturm Michael , Suesser Manfred , Sun Menglei , Tcherniakhovski Denis , Telle Helmut H. , Thorne Larisa A. , Thümmler Thomas , Titov Nikita , Tkachev Igor , Trost Nikolaus , Urban Korbinian , Valerius Kathrin , Vénos Drahoslav , Vianden Reiner , Vizcaya Hernández Ana P. , Weber Marc , Weinheimer Christian , Weiss Christiane , Welte Stefan , Wendel Jürgen , Wilkerson John F. , Wolf Joachim , Wüstling Sascha , Xu Weiran , Yen Yung-Ruey , Zadorozhny Sergey , Zeller Genrich 
Published: March 2020

The determination of the neutrino mass is one of the major challenges in astroparticle physics today. Direct neutrino mass experiments, based solely on the kinematics of $$\upbeta $$β-decay, provide a largely model-independent probe to the neutrino mass scale. The Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino (KATRIN) experiment is designed to directly measure the effective electron antineutrino mass with a sensitivity of $$0.2\hbox { eV}$$0.2eV ($$90\%$$90% CL). In this work we report on the first operation of KATRIN with tritium which took place in 2018. During this commissioning phase of the tritium circulation system, excellent agreement of the theoretical prediction with the recorded spectra was found and stable conditions over a time period of 13 days could be established. These results are an essential prerequisite for the subsequent neutrino mass measurements with KATRIN in 2019.