The Windowless Gaseous Tritium Source of the KATRIN Experiment - Characterisation of Gas Dynamical and Plasma Properties

The Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino Experiment aims to measure the neutrino mass with a sensitivity of 200meV (90% C.L) using the β-decay of molecular tritium. This makes a proper understanding of the characteristics of the tritium source indispensable. In this thesis the picture of gas flow related processes in the KATRIN source is completed and a model of its low density tritium plasma is developed. The predictions from the models are used to quantify the effect on the neutrino mass measurement.