Double beta decays and neutrino nuclear responses

Neutrino-less double beta decays (0νββ), which violate the lepton number conservation law by ΔL=2, are unique and realistic probes for studying the Majorana nature of neutrinos, the ν mass spectrum and the absolute mass scale, the lepton sector CP and others beyond the standard electro-weak theory. Neutrino nuclear responses (nuclear matrix elements M^0ν) are crucial to extract neutrino properties of the particle physics interests from experimental 0νββ rates. Subjects discussed include 0νββ processes and Majorana neutrinos, the present and future 0νββ experiments, and neutrino nuclear responses (M^0ν) and charge exchange reactions.     

Nuclear structure aspects of single and double beta decays for neutrino mass

Single β-decay of ¹⁸⁷Re and double β-decay are discussed for probing absolute masses of neutrinos. It is shown that ¹⁸⁷Re decay is dominated by p-wave emission of the electron over s-wave. Double β-decay nuclear matrix elements relevant to the neutrino mass mechanism are discussed in the view point of nuclear structure and the underlying NN interaction.     

Neutrinoless double beta decay with small and hierarchical neutrino mass

We construct a model where neutrino Majorana masses are small and hierarchical but where neutrinoless double beta decay occurs at an observable rate potentially detectable by present day experiments.     

Neutrino-less double beta decays and Majorana neutrinos

Neutrino-less double beta decays (0??? ??) are sensitive and realistic probes for studying the Majorana nature of neutrinos, the ?? mass spectrum and the absolute mass scale, the lepton sector CP and others beyond the standard electro-weak theory. This report reviews briefly 0??? ?? processes and Majorana neutrinos, the present and future 0??? ?? experiments and 0??? ?? nuclear matrix elements.     

Nuclear reactions and the double beta decay

Charge-exchange reactions of (n,p) and (p,n) types at intermediate energies are introduced as a tool for the study of nuclear matrix element in ββ decay. Here, the (n,p) type reactions are realized through , where ²He refers to two protons in a singlet ¹S₀ state and where both of these are momentum analyzed and detected by the same spectrometer and detector. These reactions have been developed and performed exclusively at KVI, Groningen (NL), using an incident deuteron energy of 183 MeV. The  reaction is of (p,n) type and was developed at the RCNP facility in Osaka (JP) at incident energies of 420 MeV. Using both reaction types one can extract the Gamow-Teller transition strengths B(GT⁺) and , which define the two “legs” of the ββ decay matrix elements for the 2νββ decay. The high resolution available in both reactions allows a detailed insight into the excitations of the intermediate odd-odd nuclei and, as will be shown, some unexpected features are being unveiled.     

The rich neutrino programme of the SNO+ experiment

The SNO+ experiment is a multi-faceted neutrino experiment re-using the existing infrastructure and detector hardware of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory located in Vale Inco’s Creighton mine, Sudbury (ON), Canada. The main aim of this, now fully-funded, experiment is the search for neutrinoless double-beta decay, however, it has access to other, very interesting, measurements involving neutrinos, such as lower energy solar neutrinos, geo- and reactor-antineutrinos and supernova neutrinos.     

Status and prospects of searches for neutrinoless double beta decay

The simultaneous beta decay of two neutrons in a nucleus without the emission of neutrinos (called neutrinoless double beta decay) is a lepton number violating process which is not allowed in the Standard Model of particle physics. More than a dozen experiments using different candidate isotopes and a variety of detection techniques are searching for this decay. Some (EXO‐200, Kamland‐Zen, and GERDA) started to take data recently. EXO and Kamland‐Zen have reported first limits of the half life for ¹³⁶Xe. After a decade of little progress in this field, these results start to scrutinize the claim from part of the Heidelberg–Moscow collaboration to have observed this decay. The sensitivities of the different proposals are reviewed.     

无中微子双贝塔衰变：寻找马约拉纳中微子之路

无中微子双贝塔衰变是目前粒子物理与核物理学家积极寻找的一种极其稀有的原子核衰变模式。它的发现将验证中微子是否是其本身的反粒子,也就是通常指的马约拉纳费米子。同时这一物理过程破坏轻子数守恒,也可以为宇宙初期的正反物质不对称性提供重要的条件。鉴于其极重要的物理意义,国际上多个实验组利用不同的探测器技术,在多种不同的目标同位素中寻找这一突破粒子物理标准模型的稀有衰变。目前主流实验还未发现确定的无中微子双贝塔衰变信号,但对其半衰期的限制已经达到了10²⁶年量级。国内近期也开展了一系列预研实验,期望在未来几年内可以确定一到两个切实可行的实验方案,开展吨级实验。     

Sterile neutrinos in lepton number and lepton flavor violating decays

We study the contribution of massive dominantly sterile neutrinos, N, to the lepton number and lepton flavor violating semileptonic decays of τ and B, D, K-mesons. We focus on special domains of sterile neutrino masses mN where it is close to its mass-shell. This leads to an enormous resonant enhancement of the decay rates of these processes. This allows us to derive stringent limits on the sterile neutrino mass mN and its mixing UαN with active flavors. We apply a joint analysis of the existing experimental bounds on the decay rates of the studied processes. In contrast to other approaches in the literature our limits are free from ad hoc assumptions on the relative size of the sterile neutrino mixing parameters. We analyze the impact of this sort of assumptions on the extraction of the limits on mN and UαN, and discuss the effect of finite detector size. Special attention was paid to the limits on meson decays with e^±e^± in final state, derived from non-observation of 0νββ-decay. We point out that observation of these decays may, in particular, shed light on the Majorana phases of the neutrino mixing matrix.     

Nuclear responses for double-beta decays by hadron, photon, and neutrino probes and MOON experiment

Neutrino-less double-beta decays (0νββ) with the mass sensitivities of the solar and atmospheric ν masses are of great interest for studying the Majorana nature of neutrinos and the absolute mass spectrum as suggested by recent ν oscillation experiments. Here nuclear responses (nuclear matrix elements) for 0νββ are crucial. They are well studied experimentally by using charge-exchange, photo-nuclear and neutrino reactions. MOON(Mo Observatory Of Neutrinos) is a high sensitivity 0νβ β experiment with the mass sensitivity of an order of 30 meV. Experimental studies of the nuclear responses and the present status of MOON are briefly discussed. Presented by the author at the Workshop on calculation of double-beta-decay matrix elements (MEDEX’05), Corfu, Greece, September 26–29, 2005.     

SINGAO: a very large telescope for neutrino gamma astronomy and cosmic-ray studies

Summary We discuss the feasibility of a telescope consisting in a sampling array for extensive air showers measure combined with a muon tracking device. The sampling array will extend over a surface of ≥10⁷ m² while the muon tracking device will cover ≥10⁴ m². The telescope should be done with resistive plates counters and would become a very powerful device to study high-energy neutrinos and gamma-ray astronomy as well as cosmicray physics up to the highest energy (≥10¹⁹ eV) region. The content of this paper has been elaborated with the following people interested in performing the experiment: M. De Palma, G. Iaselli, C. Maggi, S. Natali, S. Nuzzo, A. Ranieri, C. Raso, F. Romano, F. Ruggeri, G. Selvaggi, P. Tempesta, G. Zito; A. Rossi, G. Susinno; A. Grillo, F. Ronga, V. Valente; P. Bernardini, P. Pistilli; A. Watson, R. Reid, M. Lawrence; M. Ambrosio, G. Barbarino, B. Bartoli, V. Silvestrini; R. Buccheri, M. Carollo, O. Catalano, J. Linsley, L. Scarsi; G. Bressi, A. Lanza, M. Cambiaghi, S. Ratti; M. Bonori, G. D'Agostini; M. De Vincenzi, E. Lamanna, P. Lipari, G. Martellotti, F. Massa, M. Mattioli, A. Nigro, S. Petrera; R. Cardarelli, F. Rossi, R. Santonico; L. De Cesare, G. Grella, M. Guida, F. Mancini, G. Marini, G. Romano, G. Vitiello; C. Cappa, B. D'Ettore Piazzoli, P. Ghia, G. Gomez, P. Trivero. [Bari, Cosenza, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati Lecce, Leeds, Napoli, Palermo, Pavia, Roma I, Roma II, Salerno, Torino, Istituto di Cosmogeofisica del CNR].     

Nuclear Responses for Neutrinos and Mo Observatory of Neutrinos

Nuclear responses for neutrinos and neutrino studies in Mo nuclei are briefly reported. Nuclear spin-isospin responses for neutrinos are crucial for neutrino studies in nuclei. Spin-isospin responses for solar neutrinos, supernova neutrinos and neutrinos involved in double-beta decays are discussed. It is of great interest to study neutrino masses and low energy solar neutrinos. It is shown that it is possible to carry out with ¹⁰⁰Mo both spectroscopic studies of double-beta decays with the sensitivity of the order of m 0.03eV and real-time exclusive studies of the low energy solar neutrinos.     

Beta decays and muon capture as probes of ββ matrix elements

Detection of the neutrinoless double-beta decay is essential in probing physics beyond the standard model of electroweak and strong interactions. At the moment there is a considerable uncertainty associated with the calculation of the involved nuclear matrix elements. This uncertainty can be diminished by suitably chosen nuclear probes, like beta decays and nuclear muon capture. The related experiments are urgently called for. Presented by J. Suhonen at the Workshop on calculation of double-beta-decay matrix elements (MEDEX’05), Corfu, Greece, September 26–29, 2005.     

One model for magnetic solar neutrino interactions,cosmological neutrino decays,and new particle resonant production by interactions of neutrinos from Cygnus X-3

Standard model extensions which include a charged, weak-singlet scalar particle can induce an electron-neutrino magnetic moment large enough to implement the Voloshin-Vysotski-Okun solution to the solar neutrino problem and observed anticorrelation of sunspots and neutrino flux. The resonant production and decay of such a charged scalar particle by neutrinos from ultra-high energy point sources of cosmic rays such as Cygnus X-3 has been discussed in the literature as a possible source of an anomalous muon signal in deep underground detectors. We argue here that there are versions of the charged scalar model which simultaneously can accommodate the above phenomena and in addition predict a radiative neutrino decay whose lifetime is about 10²⁴ s. This value is consistent with that needed for a dark-matter neutrino of about 30 eV mass to yield a flux of UV photons which could explain several puzzling observations of H_α emission from the galactic disk and from the intergalactic HI cloud in Leo.     

Neutrinoless double-beta decay and double-electron capture

The fundamental importance of searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay is widely recognized. Observation of the decay would tell us that the total lepton number is not conserved and that, consequently, neutrinos are massive Majorana fermions. The same statement could be made in the case of observing neutrinoless double-electron capture. We address the question of the sensitivity of the 0νεε decay to the effective mass of the Majorana neutrino. According to our estimates, in the case of ¹⁵²Gd and ¹⁶⁴Er the sensitivity can be comparable to the favored 0νββ decays of nuclei. The main uncertainty in the prediction of half-lives of the 0νεε decay stems from the lack of sufficient precision in measuring the mass difference between the parent and daughter atoms. More accurate measurements can be accomplished using the modern high-precision ion traps.