Mechanisms For Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay Research Articles

Probing the mechanism of neutrinoless double-beta decay in multiple isotopes

A large experimental program is being mounted to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay over the next decade. Multiple experiments using different target isotopes are being prepared to explore the whole parameter space allowed for inverted-ordered light neutrinos, and have the potential to make discoveries in several other scenarios, including normal-ordered light neutrinos and other exotic mechanisms. We investigate to what extent long-range and exotic short-range contributions may be distinguished by combining measurements of the decay half-life across isotopes in the framework of a global Bayesian analysis. We demonstrate how measurements in two isotopes will constrain the parameter space up to a two-fold degeneracy, and how a further measurement in a third isotope removes such a degeneracy. We also discuss the impact of uncertainties and correlations in nuclear matrix element calculations. Our work motivates an experimental program measuring neutrinoless double-beta decay in more than one isotope, as this would break parameter degeneracies and advance our understanding of particle physics beyond the Standard Model.

Double Beta Decay: A Shell Model Approach

Studies of weak interaction in nuclei are important tools for testing different aspects of the fundamental symmetries of the Standard Model. Neutrinoless double beta decay offers an unique venue of investigating the possibility that neutrinos are Majorana fermions and that the lepton number conservation law is violated. Here, I use a shell model approach to calculate the nuclear matrix elements needed to extract the lepton-number-violating parameters of a few nuclei of experimental interest from the latest experimental lower limits of neutrinoless double beta decay half-lives. The analysis presented here could reveal valuable information regarding the dominant neutrinoless double beta decay mechanism if experimental half-life data become available for different isotopes. A complementary shell model analysis of the two-neutrino double beta decay nuclear matrix elements and half-lives is also presented.

Weak magnetism and pseudoscalar coupling in neutrino mass mechanism of neutrinoless double beta-decay

In the calculations of the nuclear matrix element of Majorana neutrino mass mechanism of neutrinoless double beta decay so far only contributions from vector/axialvector part and weak magnetism of the nuclear current have been included, while other contributions have been neglected. In the present work we are examining the effect of weak magnetism and induced pseudoscalar coupling. We have performed calculations within the proton-neutron renormaiized quasiparticie random phase approximation and we have found that these additional contributions of the nucleon current, result in a considerable reduction of the nuclear matrix elements of all nuclei which we have considered. This reduction of the nuclear matrix element makes the extracted limits of the lepton number violating parameters ( < mu >, < g > and < 77^ >) less stringent yielding the best value for < mv > less than 0.62 eV for 76Ge.

Latest Results from NEMO-3 & Status of the SuperNEMO Experiment

Neutrinoless double-beta decay is a uniquely sensitive probe of lepton number violating processes, and its observation may answer fundamental questions in neutrino physics, including the nature and the mass scale of the light neutrinos. Tracking calorimeter experiments have particular strengths, including the ability to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay amongst several different isotopes hosted in source foils. Full event reconstruction provides powerful background rejection capability, and the ability to disentangle different mechanisms for neutrinoless double-beta decay in the event of its discovery. These proceedings will give the latest results from the NEMO-3 experiment, including new double-beta decay measurements using the isotopes 48Ca and 150Nd. The current status and future prospects for the SuperNEMO experiment will also be presented.

Neutrinoless double beta decay and neutrino mass

The observation of neutrinoless double beta decay (DBD) will have important consequences. First it will signal that lepton number is not conserved and the neutrinos are Majorana particles. Second, it represents our best hope for determining the absolute neutrino mass scale at the level of a few tens of meV. To achieve the last goal, however, certain hurdles have to be overcome involving particle, nuclear and experimental physics. Particle physics is important since it provides the mechanisms for neutrinoless DBD. In this review, we emphasize the light neutrino mass mechanism. Nuclear physics is important for extracting the useful information from the data. One must accurately evaluate the relevant nuclear matrix elements (NMEs), a formidable task. To this end, we review the recently developed sophisticated nuclear structure approaches, employing different methods and techniques of calculation. We also examine the question of quenching of the axial vector coupling constant, which may have important consequences on the size of the NMEs. From an experimental point of view it is challenging, since the life times are extremely long and one has to fight against formidable backgrounds. One needs large isotopically enriched sources and detectors with good energy resolution and very low background.

Linear collider test of a neutrinoless double beta decay mechanism in left–right symmetric theories

There are various diagrams leading to neutrinoless double beta decay in left-right symmetric theories based on the gauge group SU(2)_L x SU(2)_R. All can in principle be tested at a linear collider running in electron-electron mode. We argue that the so-called lambda-diagram is the most promising one. Taking the current limit on this diagram from double beta decay experiments, we evaluate the relevant cross section e e to W_L W_R, where W_L is the Standard Model W-boson and W_R the one from SU(2)_R. It is observable if the life-time of double beta decay and the mass of the W_R are close to current limits. Beam polarization effects and the high-energy behaviour of the cross section are also analyzed.

Mechanisms of neutrinoless double-beta decay: A comparative analysis of several nuclei

The neutrinoless double beta decay of several nuclei that are of interest from the experimental point of view (76Ge, 82Se, 100Mo, 130Te, and 136Xe) is investigated on the basis of a general Lorentzinvariant effective Lagrangian describing physics effects beyond the Standard Model. The half-lives and angular-correlation coefficients for electrons are calculated for various decay mechanisms associated, in particular, with the exchange of Majorana neutrinos, supersymmetric particles (with R-parity violation), leptoquarks, and right-handed W R bosons. The effect of theoretical uncertainties in the values of relevant nuclear matrix elements on decay features is considered.

Neutrinoless double beta decay in the LHC era

Once neutrinoless double beta decay is discovered, the question which mechanism triggers the decay becomes crucial for drawing any conclusion about the concrete physics underlying the process, like the neutrino Majorana mass. For example, in the minimal supersymmetric extension with R-parity violation both neutrino Majorana masses and superpartners can trigger the decay. We show that in this case, if the decay is triggered by superpartners, there exist good prospects to observe single slepton production at the LHC. Resonant single slepton production at the LHC can therefore discriminate between the λ 111 ′ neutrinoless double beta decay mechanism and others.

Large Hadron Collider Probe of Supersymmetric Neutrinoless Double-Beta-Decay Mechanism

In the minimal supersymmetric extension to the standard model, a nonzero lepton number violating coupling lambda(111);(') predicts both neutrinoless double-beta-decay and resonant single slepton production at the LHC. We show that, in this case, if neutrinoless double beta decay is discovered in the next generation of experiments, there exist good prospects to observe single slepton production at the LHC. Neutrinoless double beta decay could otherwise result from a different source (such as a nonzero Majorana neutrino mass). Resonant single slepton production at the LHC can therefore discriminate between the lambda(111);(') neutrinoless double-beta-decay mechanism and others.

The effect of weak magnetism and induced pseudoscalar coupling in neutrinoless double-beta decay

In calculating the amplitude of the majorana neutrino-mass mechanism of neutrinoless double-beta decay (0νββ-decay), several approximations of the nucleon current have been done. for example, effects from induced current such as weak magnetism and pseudoscalar coupling have been neglected. we shall show in this work that, although such terms do not contribute significantly to the 2νββ-decay amplitude, they are important in the case of 0νββ decay. performing calculations within the renormalized quasiparticle random phase approximation (pn-rqrpa) for all nuclei undergoing double-beta decay in the region a=76 to a=150, we have found that these additional contributions of the nucleon current reduce considerably the matrix elements in all cases for the light neutrino as well as for the heavy neutrino mass. in the light-neutrino mass, we find reductions up to thirty percent, while in the heavy-neutrino mass, up to almost a factor of five. these reductions make the limits on the lepton-number-violating parameters 〈mν〉 and ηN less stringent.

The role of the induced currents in the mass mechanism of neutrinoless double-beta decay

The nuclear matrix elements of Majorana neutrino mass mechanism of neutrinoless double-beta decay have so far been calculated using only contributions from vector axial-vector part and weak magnetism of the nuclear current, while other contributions have been neglected. In the present work we are examining the effect of weak magnetism and induced pseudoscalar coupling. We have performed calculations within the proton-neutron renormalized quasiparticle random phase approximation and we have found that these additional contributions of the nucleon current, result in a considerable reduction of the nuclear matrix elements of all nuclei which we have considered. This reduction of the nuclear matrix element makes the extracted limits of the lepton number violating parameters \(\left( {\left\langle {m_\nu } \right\rangle {\text{ and }}\left\langle {\eta _{\text{N}} } \right\rangle } \right)\) less stringent yielding the best value for \({\left\langle {m_\nu } \right\rangle }\) less than 0.51 eV for 76Ge.

Mechanisms of neutrinoless double beta-decay and the mass of heavy neutrino

Abstract In this paper we have analysed mechanisms of the neutrinoless double beta-decay in nuclei, the mass of heavy Majorana neutrino and the influence of the nuclear short-range correlation.