Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay [On a Path of Discovery with the Neutrino]
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The Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory Program
The Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory Program Eugenio Coccia INFN Gran Sasso and University of Rome “Tor Vergata” [email protected] XXXIII International Meeting on Fundamental Physics Benasque - March 7, 2005 Underground Laboratories Boulby UK Modane France Canfranc Spain INFN Gran Sasso National Laboratory LNGSLNGS ROME QuickTime™ and a Photo - JPEG decompressor are needed to see this picture. L’AQUILA Tunnel of 10.4 km TERAMO In 1979 A. Zichichi proposed to the Parliament the project of a large underground laboratory close to the Gran Sasso highway tunnel, then under construction In 1982 the Parliament approved the construction, finished in 1987 In 1989 the first experiment, MACRO, started taking data LABORATORI NAZIONALI DEL GRAN SASSO - INFN Largest underground laboratory for astroparticle physics 1400 m rock coverage cosmic µ reduction= 10–6 (1 /m2 h) underground area: 18 000 m2 external facilities Research lines easy access • Neutrino physics 756 scientists from 25 countries Permanent staff = 66 positions (mass, oscillations, stellar physics) • Dark matter • Nuclear reactions of astrophysics interest • Gravitational waves • Geophysics • Biology LNGS Users Foreigners: 356 from 24 countries Italians: 364 Permanent Staff: 64 people Administration Public relationships support Secretariats (visa, work permissions) Outreach Environmental issues Prevention, safety, security External facilities General, safety, electrical plants Civil works Chemistry Cryogenics Mechanical shop Electronics Computing and networks Offices Assembly halls Lab -
Radiochemical Solar Neutrino Experiments, "Successful and Otherwise"
BNL-81686-2008-CP Radiochemical Solar Neutrino Experiments, "Successful and Otherwise" R. L. Hahn Presented at the Proceedings of the Neutrino-2008 Conference Christchurch, New Zealand May 25 - 31, 2008 September 2008 Chemistry Department Brookhaven National Laboratory P.O. Box 5000 Upton, NY 11973-5000 www.bnl.gov Notice: This manuscript has been authored by employees of Brookhaven Science Associates, LLC under Contract No. DE-AC02-98CH10886 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The publisher by accepting the manuscript for publication acknowledges that the United States Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes. This preprint is intended for publication in a journal or proceedings. Since changes may be made before publication, it may not be cited or reproduced without the author’s permission. DISCLAIMER This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, nor any of their contractors, subcontractors, or their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or any third party’s use or the results of such use of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof or its contractors or subcontractors. -
Nuclear Physics
Nuclear Physics Overview One of the enduring mysteries of the universe is the nature of matter—what are its basic constituents and how do they interact to form the properties we observe? The largest contribution by far to the mass of the visible matter we are familiar with comes from protons and heavier nuclei. The mission of the Nuclear Physics (NP) program is to discover, explore, and understand all forms of nuclear matter. Although the fundamental particles that compose nuclear matter—quarks and gluons—are themselves relatively well understood, exactly how they interact and combine to form the different types of matter observed in the universe today and during its evolution remains largely unknown. Nuclear physicists seek to understand not just the familiar forms of matter we see around us, but also exotic forms such as those that existed in the first moments after the Big Bang and that exist today inside neutron stars, and to understand why matter takes on the specific forms now observed in nature. Nuclear physics addresses three broad, yet tightly interrelated, scientific thrusts: Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD); Nuclei and Nuclear Astrophysics; and Fundamental Symmetries: . QCD seeks to develop a complete understanding of how the fundamental particles that compose nuclear matter, the quarks and gluons, assemble themselves into composite nuclear particles such as protons and neutrons, how nuclear forces arise between these composite particles that lead to nuclei, and how novel forms of bulk, strongly interacting matter behave, such as the quark-gluon plasma that formed in the early universe. Nuclei and Nuclear Astrophysics seeks to understand how protons and neutrons combine to form atomic nuclei, including some now being observed for the first time, and how these nuclei have arisen during the 13.8 billion years since the birth of the cosmos. -
Astrophysical Neutrinos at the Low and High Energy Frontiers by Lili Yang A
Astrophysical neutrinos at the low and high energy frontiers by Lili Yang A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Approved November 2013 by the Graduate Supervisory Committee: Cecilia Lunardini, Chair Ricardo Alarcon Igor Shovkovy Francis Timmes Tanmay Vachaspati ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY December 2013 ABSTRACT For this project, the diffuse supernova neutrino background (DSNB) has been calcu- lated based on the recent direct supernova rate measurements and neutrino spectrum from SN1987A. The estimated diffuse n¯ flux is 0.10 – 0.59 cm 2s 1 at 99% confi- e ⇠ − − dence level, which is 5 times lower than the Super-Kamiokande 2012 upper limit of 3.0 2 1 cm− s− , above energy threshold of 17.3 MeV. With a Megaton scale water detector, 40 events could be detected above the threshold per year. In addition, the detectability of neutrino bursts from direct black hole forming col- lapses (failed supernovae) at Megaton detectors is calculated. These neutrino bursts are energetic and with short time duration, 1s. They could be identified by the time coin- ⇠ cidence of N 2 or N 3 events within 1s time window from nearby (4 – 5 Mpc) failed ≥ ≥ supernovae. The detection rate of these neutrino bursts could get up to one per decade. This is a realistic way to detect a failed supernova and gives a promising method for studying the physics of direct black hole formation mechanism. Finally, the absorption of ultra high energy (UHE) neutrinos by the cosmic neutrino background, with full inclusion of the effect of the thermal distribution of the back- ground on the resonant annihilation channel, is discussed. -
Henry Primakoff Lecture: Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay
Henry Primakoff Lecture: Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay CENPA J.F. Wilkerson Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics University of Washington April APS Meeting 2007 Renewed Impetus for 0νββ The recent discoveries of atmospheric, solar, and reactor neutrino oscillations and the corresponding realization that neutrinos are not massless particles, provides compelling arguments for performing neutrinoless double-beta decay (0νββ) experiments with increased sensitivity. 0νββ decay probes fundamental questions: • Tests one of nature's fundamental symmetries, Lepton number conservation. • The only practical technique able to determine if neutrinos might be their own anti-particles — Majorana particles. • If 0νββ is observed: • Provides a promising laboratory method for determining the overall absolute neutrino mass scale that is complementary to other measurement techniques. • Measurements in a series of different isotopes potentially can reveal the underlying interaction process(es). J.F. Wilkerson Primakoff Lecture: Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay April APS Meeting 2007 Double-Beta Decay In a number of even-even nuclei, β-decay is energetically forbidden, while double-beta decay, from a nucleus of (A,Z) to (A,Z+2), is energetically allowed. A, Z-1 A, Z+1 0+ A, Z+3 A, Z ββ 0+ A, Z+2 J.F. Wilkerson Primakoff Lecture: Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay April APS Meeting 2007 Double-Beta Decay In a number of even-even nuclei, β-decay is energetically forbidden, while double-beta decay, from a nucleus of (A,Z) to (A,Z+2), is energetically allowed. 2- 76As 0+ 76 Ge 0+ ββ 2+ Q=2039 keV 0+ 76Se 48Ca, 76Ge, 82Se, 96Zr 100Mo, 116Cd 128Te, 130Te, 136Xe, 150Nd J.F. -
A Measurement of the 2 Neutrino Double Beta Decay Rate of 130Te in the CUORICINO Experiment by Laura Katherine Kogler
A measurement of the 2 neutrino double beta decay rate of 130Te in the CUORICINO experiment by Laura Katherine Kogler A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Physics in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor Stuart J. Freedman, Chair Professor Yury G. Kolomensky Professor Eric B. Norman Fall 2011 A measurement of the 2 neutrino double beta decay rate of 130Te in the CUORICINO experiment Copyright 2011 by Laura Katherine Kogler 1 Abstract A measurement of the 2 neutrino double beta decay rate of 130Te in the CUORICINO experiment by Laura Katherine Kogler Doctor of Philosophy in Physics University of California, Berkeley Professor Stuart J. Freedman, Chair CUORICINO was a cryogenic bolometer experiment designed to search for neutrinoless double beta decay and other rare processes, including double beta decay with two neutrinos (2νββ). The experiment was located at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso and ran for a period of about 5 years, from 2003 to 2008. The detector consisted of an array of 62 TeO2 crystals arranged in a tower and operated at a temperature of ∼10 mK. Events depositing energy in the detectors, such as radioactive decays or impinging particles, produced thermal pulses in the crystals which were read out using sensitive thermistors. The experiment included 4 enriched crystals, 2 enriched with 130Te and 2 with 128Te, in order to aid in the measurement of the 2νββ rate. The enriched crystals contained a total of ∼350 g 130Te. The 128-enriched (130-depleted) crystals were used as background monitors, so that the shared backgrounds could be subtracted from the energy spectrum of the 130- enriched crystals. -
THE BOREXINO IMPACT in the GLOBAL ANALYSIS of NEUTRINO DATA Settore Scientifico Disciplinare FIS/04
UNIVERSITA’ DEGLI STUDI DI MILANO DIPARTIMENTO DI FISICA SCUOLA DI DOTTORATO IN FISICA, ASTROFISICA E FISICA APPLICATA CICLO XXIV THE BOREXINO IMPACT IN THE GLOBAL ANALYSIS OF NEUTRINO DATA Settore Scientifico Disciplinare FIS/04 Tesi di Dottorato di: Alessandra Carlotta Re Tutore: Prof.ssa Emanuela Meroni Coordinatore: Prof. Marco Bersanelli Anno Accademico 2010-2011 Contents Introduction1 1 Neutrino Physics3 1.1 Neutrinos in the Standard Model . .4 1.2 Massive neutrinos . .7 1.3 Solar Neutrinos . .8 1.3.1 pp chain . .9 1.3.2 CNO chain . 13 1.3.3 The Standard Solar Model . 13 1.4 Other sources of neutrinos . 17 1.5 Neutrino Oscillation . 18 1.5.1 Vacuum oscillations . 20 1.5.2 Matter-enhanced oscillations . 22 1.5.3 The MSW effect for solar neutrinos . 26 1.6 Solar neutrino experiments . 28 1.7 Reactor neutrino experiments . 33 1.8 The global analysis of neutrino data . 34 2 The Borexino experiment 37 2.1 The LNGS underground laboratory . 38 2.2 The detector design . 40 2.3 Signal processing and Data Acquisition System . 44 2.4 Calibration and monitoring . 45 2.5 Neutrino detection in Borexino . 47 2.5.1 Neutrino scattering cross-section . 48 2.6 7Be solar neutrino . 48 2.6.1 Seasonal variations . 50 2.7 Radioactive backgrounds in Borexino . 51 I CONTENTS 2.7.1 External backgrounds . 53 2.7.2 Internal backgrounds . 54 2.8 Physics goals and achieved results . 57 2.8.1 7Be solar neutrino flux measurement . 57 2.8.2 The day-night asymmetry measurement . 58 2.8.3 8B neutrino flux measurement . -
Arxiv:1901.01410V3 [Astro-Ph.HE] 1 Feb 2021 Mental Information Is Available, and One Has to Rely Strongly on Theoretical Predictions for Nuclear Properties
Origin of the heaviest elements: The rapid neutron-capture process John J. Cowan∗ HLD Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, 440 W. Brooks St., Norman, OK 73019, USA Christopher Snedeny Department of Astronomy, University of Texas, 2515 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712-1205, USA James E. Lawlerz Physics Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1150 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706-1390, USA Ani Aprahamianx and Michael Wiescher{ Department of Physics and Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics, University of Notre Dame, 225 Nieuwland Science Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA Karlheinz Langanke∗∗ GSI Helmholtzzentrum f¨urSchwerionenforschung, Planckstraße 1, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany and Institut f¨urKernphysik (Theoriezentrum), Fachbereich Physik, Technische Universit¨atDarmstadt, Schlossgartenstraße 2, 64298 Darmstadt, Germany Gabriel Mart´ınez-Pinedoyy GSI Helmholtzzentrum f¨urSchwerionenforschung, Planckstraße 1, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany; Institut f¨urKernphysik (Theoriezentrum), Fachbereich Physik, Technische Universit¨atDarmstadt, Schlossgartenstraße 2, 64298 Darmstadt, Germany; and Helmholtz Forschungsakademie Hessen f¨urFAIR, GSI Helmholtzzentrum f¨urSchwerionenforschung, Planckstraße 1, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany Friedrich-Karl Thielemannzz Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland and GSI Helmholtzzentrum f¨urSchwerionenforschung, Planckstraße 1, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany (Dated: February 2, 2021) The production of about half of the heavy elements found in nature is assigned to a spe- cific astrophysical nucleosynthesis process: the rapid neutron capture process (r-process). Although this idea has been postulated more than six decades ago, the full understand- ing faces two types of uncertainties/open questions: (a) The nucleosynthesis path in the nuclear chart runs close to the neutron-drip line, where presently only limited experi- arXiv:1901.01410v3 [astro-ph.HE] 1 Feb 2021 mental information is available, and one has to rely strongly on theoretical predictions for nuclear properties. -
Two-Proton Radioactivity 2
Two-proton radioactivity Bertram Blank ‡ and Marek P loszajczak † ‡ Centre d’Etudes Nucl´eaires de Bordeaux-Gradignan - Universit´eBordeaux I - CNRS/IN2P3, Chemin du Solarium, B.P. 120, 33175 Gradignan Cedex, France † Grand Acc´el´erateur National d’Ions Lourds (GANIL), CEA/DSM-CNRS/IN2P3, BP 55027, 14076 Caen Cedex 05, France Abstract. In the first part of this review, experimental results which lead to the discovery of two-proton radioactivity are examined. Beyond two-proton emission from nuclear ground states, we also discuss experimental studies of two-proton emission from excited states populated either by nuclear β decay or by inelastic reactions. In the second part, we review the modern theory of two-proton radioactivity. An outlook to future experimental studies and theoretical developments will conclude this review. PACS numbers: 23.50.+z, 21.10.Tg, 21.60.-n, 24.10.-i Submitted to: Rep. Prog. Phys. Version: 17 December 2013 arXiv:0709.3797v2 [nucl-ex] 23 Apr 2008 Two-proton radioactivity 2 1. Introduction Atomic nuclei are made of two distinct particles, the protons and the neutrons. These nucleons constitute more than 99.95% of the mass of an atom. In order to form a stable atomic nucleus, a subtle equilibrium between the number of protons and neutrons has to be respected. This condition is fulfilled for 259 different combinations of protons and neutrons. These nuclei can be found on Earth. In addition, 26 nuclei form a quasi stable configuration, i.e. they decay with a half-life comparable or longer than the age of the Earth and are therefore still present on Earth. -
Measurement of Muon Neutrino Disappearance with the Nova Experiment Luke Vinton
Measurement of Muon Neutrino Disappearance with the NOvA Experiment Luke Vinton Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Sussex 14th February 2018 Declaration I hereby declare that this thesis has not been and will not be submitted in whole or in part to another University for the award of any other degree. Signature: Luke Vinton iii UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX Luke Vinton, Doctor of Philosophy Measurement of muon neutrino disappearance with the NOvA experiment Abstract The NOvA experiment consists of two functionally identical tracking calorimeter detectors which measure the neutrino energy and flavour composition of the NuMI beam at baselines of 1 km and 810 km. Measurements of neutrino oscillation parameters are extracted by comparing the neutrino energy spectrum in the far detector with predictions of the oscil- lated neutrino energy spectra that are made using information extracted from the near detector. Observation of muon neutrino disappearance allows NOvA to make measure- 2 ments of the mass squared splitting ∆m32 and the mixing angle θ23. The measurement of θ23 will provide insight into the make-up of the third mass eigenstate and probe the muon-tau symmetry hypothesis that requires θ23 = π=4. This thesis introduces three methods to improve the sensitivity of NOvA's muon neut- rino disappearance analysis. First, neutrino events are separated according to an estimate of their energy resolution to distinguish well resolved events from events that are not so well resolved. Second, an optimised neutrino energy binning is implemented that uses finer binning in the region of maximum muon neutrino disappearance. Third, a hybrid selection is introduced that selects muon neutrino events with greater efficiency and purity. -
2.3 Neutrino-Less Double Electron Capture - Potential Tool to Determine the Majorana Neutrino Mass by Z.Sujkowski, S Wycech
DEPARTMENT OF NUCLEAR SPECTROSCOPY AND TECHNIQUE 39 The above conservatively large systematic hypothesis. TIle quoted uncertainties will be soon uncertainty reflects the fact that we did not finish reduced as our analysis progresses. evaluating the corrections fully in the current analysis We are simultaneously recording a large set of at the time of this writing, a situation that will soon radiative decay events for the processes t e'v y change. This result is to be compared with 1he and pi-+eN v y. The former will be used to extract previous most accurate measurement of McFarlane the ratio FA/Fv of the axial and vector form factors, a et al. (Phys. Rev. D 1984): quantity of great and longstanding interest to low BR = (1.026 ± 0.039)'1 I 0 energy effective QCD theory. Both processes are as well as with the Standard Model (SM) furthermore very sensitive to non- (V-A) admixtures in prediction (Particle Data Group - PDG 2000): the electroweak lagLangian, and thus can reveal BR = (I 038 - 1.041 )*1 0-s (90%C.L.) information on physics beyond the SM. We are currently analyzing these data and expect results soon. (1.005 - 1.008)* 1W') - excl. rad. corr. Tale 1 We see that even working result strongly confirms Current P1IBETA event sxpelilnentstatistics, compared with the the validity of the radiative corrections. Another world data set. interesting comparison is with the prediction based on Decay PIBETA World data set the most accurate evaluation of the CKM matrix n >60k 1.77k element V d based on the CVC hypothesis and ihce >60 1.77_ _ _ results -
The Search for 0Νββ Decay in 130Te with CUORE-0 by Jonathan Loren
The Search for 0νββ Decay in 130Te with CUORE-0 by Jonathan Loren Ouellet Ph.D. Thesis Department of Physics University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, Ca 94720 and Nuclear Science Division Ernest Orlando Lawrence National Laboratory Berkeley, Ca 94720 Spring 2015 This material is based upon work supported by the US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231 and by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. NSF-PHY-0902171 and NSF-PHY-1314881. DISCLAIMER This document was prepared as an account of work sponsored by the United States Gov- ernment. While this document is believed to contain correct information, neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor the Regents of the University of California, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by its trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof, or the Regents of the University of California. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof or the Regents of the University of California. The Search for 0νββ Decay in 130Te with CUORE-0 by Jonathan Loren Ouellet A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Physics in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor Yury Kolomensky, Chair Professor Gabriel Orebi Gann Professor Eric B.