A4 Article in conference proceedings
Fascinating puzzle called double beta decay (2019)

Kotila, J. (2019). Fascinating puzzle called double beta decay. In R. Maruyama (Ed.), Symmetries and Order : Algebraic Methods in Many Body Systems : A symposium in celebration of the career of Professor Francesco Iachello (Article 020009). American Institute of Physics. AIP Conference Proceedings, 2150. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5124581

JYU authors or editors

Kotila, Jenni

Publication details

All authors or editors: Kotila, Jenni

Parent publication: Symmetries and Order : Algebraic Methods in Many Body Systems : A symposium in celebration of the career of Professor Francesco Iachello

Parent publication editors: Maruyama, Reina

Place and date of conference: Connecticut, USA, 05.-06.10.2018

eISBN: 978-0-7354-1895-0

Journal or series: AIP Conference Proceedings

ISSN: 0094-243X

eISSN: 1935-0465

Publication year: 2019

Number in series: 2150

Article number: 020009

Publisher: American Institute of Physics

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5124581

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access:

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/65464

Abstract

The question of whether neutrinos are Majorana or Dirac particles and what are their average masses remains one of the most fundamental problems in physics today. Observation of neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) would verify the Majorana nature of the neutrino and constrain the absolute scale of the neutrino mass spectrum. The inverse half-life for 0νββ-decay is given by the product of a phase space factor (PSF), a nuclear matrix element (NME), which both rely on theoretical description, and a function f containing the physics beyond the standard model. Recent calculations of PSF and NME will be reviewed together with comparison to other available results. These calculations serve the purpose of extracting the average neutrino mass if 0νββ-decay is observed, and of guiding searches if 0νββ-decay is not observed. The current situation is then discussed by combining the theoretical results with experimental limits on the half-life of neutrinoless double beta decay. The extracted limits on the average light neutrino mass will be addressed, complemented with a discussion of other possible 0νββ-decay mechanisms and scenarios.

Keywords: nuclear physics; particle physics; neutrinos

Free keywords: double beta decay; nuclear matrix elements

Fields of science: