A Renormalized Approach to Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay
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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. -
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. -
Double-Beta Decay from First Principles
Double-Beta Decay from First Principles J. Engel April 23, 2020 Goal is set of matrix elements with real error bars by May, 2021 DBD Topical Theory Collaboration Lattice QCD Data Chiral EFT Similarity Renormalization Group Ab-Initio Many-Body Methods Harmonic No-Core Quantum Oscillator Basis Shell Model Monte Carlo Effective Theory Light Nuclei (benchmarking) DFT-Inspired Coupled Multi-reference In-Medium SRG Clusters In-Medium SRG for Shell Model Heavy Nuclei DFT Statistical Model Averaging (for EDMs) Shell Model Goal is set of matrix elements with real error bars by May, 2021 DBD Topical Theory Collaboration Haxton HOBET Walker-Loud McIlvain LQCD Brantley Monge- Johnson Camacho Ramsey- SM Musolf Horoi Engel EFT SM Cirigliano Nicholson Mereghetti "DFT" EFT LQCD QMC Carlson Jiao Quaglioni Vary SRG NC-SM Yao Papenbrock LQCD = Latice QCD Hagen EFT = Effective Field Theory Bogner QMC = Quantum Monte Carlo Morris Hergert DFT = Densty Functional Theory Sun Nazarewicz Novario SRG = Similarity Renormilazation Group More IM-SRG IM-SRG = In-Medium SRG Coupled Clusters DFT HOBET = Harmonic-Oscillator-Based Statistics Effective Theory NC-SM = No-Core Shell Model SM = Shell Model DBD Topical Theory Collaboration Haxton HOBET Walker-Loud McIlvain LQCD Brantley Monge- Johnson Camacho Ramsey- SM Musolf Horoi Engel EFT SM Cirigliano Nicholson Mereghetti "DFT" EFT LQCD QMC Carlson Jiao Quaglioni Vary Goal is set of matrixSRG elementsNC-SM with Yao real error bars by May, 2021 Papenbrock LQCD = Latice QCD Hagen EFT = Effective Field Theory Bogner QMC = Quantum Monte Carlo Morris Hergert DFT = Densty Functional Theory Sun Nazarewicz Novario SRG = Similarity Renormilazation Group More IM-SRG IM-SRG = In-Medium SRG Coupled Clusters DFT HOBET = Harmonic-Oscillator-Based Statistics Effective Theory NC-SM = No-Core Shell Model SM = Shell Model Part 0 0νββ Decay and neutrinos are their own antiparticles.. -
Constraining Nuclear Matrix Elements in Double Beta Decay
Constraining Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay Matrix Elements using Transfer Reactions Sean J Freeman Review what we know about the nuclear physics influence on neutrinoless double beta decay. Results of an experimental programme to help address the issue of the nuclear matrix elements. Stick to one-nucleon transfer measurements. What is double beta decay? Two neutrons, bound in the ground state of an even-even nucleus, transform into two bound protons, typically in the ground state of a final nucleus. Observation of rare decays is only possibly when other radioactive processes don’t occur… a situation that often arises naturally, usually thanks to pairing. Accompanied with emission of: • Two electrons and two neutrinos (2νββ) observed in 10 species since 1987. • Two electrons only (0νββ) for which a convincing observation remains to be made. [ Sometimes to excited bound states; sometimes protons to neutrons with two positrons; positron and an electron capture; perhaps resonant double electron capture. ] Double beta decay with neutrinos: p 2νββ p u d d e– e– d d u • simultaneous ordinary beta decay. • lepton number conserved and SM allowed. 19- – – • observed in around 10 nuclei with T1/2≈10 W W 21 years. u d u u d u n n A-2 Double beta decay without neutrinos: p 0νββ p Time • lepton number violated and SM forbidden. u d d e– e– d d u 24-25 • no observations, T1/2 limits are 10 years. • simplest mechanism: exchange of a light massive Majorana neutrino W– W– i.e. neutrino and antineutrino are identical. u d u u d u Other proposed mechanisms, but all imply massive n n A-2 Majorana neutrino via Schechter-Valle theorem. -
SCIENCE VISION of the NUCLEAR and CHEMICAL SCIENCES DIVISION CONTENTS
SCIENCE VISIONof the NUCLEAR and CHEMICAL SCIENCES DIVISION Sciences& Sciences& Sciences& SCIENCE VISION of the NUCLEAR and CHEMICAL SCIENCES DIVISION CONTENTS Our Mission 6 Introduction 9 Physics at the Frontiers 10 Structure and Reactions of Nuclei 18 at the Limits of Stability Radiochemistry 25 Analytical and Forensic Science 30 Nuclear Detection Technology 37 and Algorithms Acronyms 40 Contact 42 “The history of science has proved that fundamental research is the lifeblood of individual progress and that ideas that lead to spectacular advances spring from it. ” — Sir Edward Appleton English Physicist, 1812–1965 4 | | 5 Our Mission ON THE FRONTIER OF PARTICLE PHYSICS, NUCLEAR PHYSICS, AND CHEMISTRY The Nuclear and Chemical Sciences Division advances scientific understanding, Our Mission capabilities, and technologies in nuclear and particle physics, radiochemistry, forensic science, and isotopic signatures to support the science and national security missions of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. 6 | Introduction As a discipline organization at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), the Nuclear and Chemical Sciences (NACS) Division provides scientific expertise in the nuclear, chemical, and isotopic sciences to ensure the success of the Laboratory’s national security missions. The NACS Division contributes to the Laboratory’s programs through its advanced scientific methods, capabilities, and expertise; thus, discovery science research constitutes the foundation on which we meet the challenges facing Introduction our national security programs. It also serves as a principal recruitment pipeline for the Laboratory and as our primary connection to the external scientific community. This document outlines our vision and technical emphases on five key areas of research in the NACS Division—physics at the frontiers, structure and reactions of nuclei at the limits of stability, radiochemistry, analytical and forensic science, and nuclear detection technology and algorithms. -
DUNE's Potential to Search for Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay
DUNE's Potential to Search for Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay Elise Chavez University of Wisconsin-Madison - GEM Supervisors: Joseph Zennamo and Fernanda Psihas Fermilab August 07, 2020 Abstract DUNE is projected to be the most capable GeV-scale neutrino experiment the world has seen, which means that it has the ability to search for physics we could not have hoped to observe with our current experiments. One such phenomena is neutrinoless double beta decay, an ultra-rare decay that would indicate new physics. It is a process that violates lepton number and hence is forbidden by the Standard Model, but as stated, it is super rare. The idea then is to take advantage of DUNE's size and capabilities to attempt to search for it by doping the liquid argon with xenon-136, a candidate isotope for the decay. This project, thus, aims to characterize the potential radiologic backgrounds that could come from DUNE itself and the environment to determine if searching for this decay is even feasible. In this paper, the following sources are examined at less than 5 MeV: radiation from the anode, radiation from the cathode, krypton, argon, radon, polonium, and, for the first time, neutrons. Ultimately, it has been determined that these sources do not provide a lot of apparent background that could disguise a neutrinoless double beta decay signal and that DUNE has great potential to search for this process. It must be noted that spallation from cosmic muons and solar neutrino backgrounds were not examined in this study. 1 Contents 1 Introduction 3 2 Background 3 2.1 Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay . -
Double-Beta Decay of 96Zr and Double-Electron Capture of 156Dy to Excited Final States
Double-Beta Decay of 96Zr and Double-Electron Capture of 156Dy to Excited Final States by Sean W. Finch Department of Physics Duke University Date: Approved: Werner Tornow, Supervisor Calvin Howell Kate Scholberg Berndt Mueller Albert Chang Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Physics in the Graduate School of Duke University 2015 Abstract Double-Beta Decay of 96Zr and Double-Electron Capture of 156Dy to Excited Final States by Sean W. Finch Department of Physics Duke University Date: Approved: Werner Tornow, Supervisor Calvin Howell Kate Scholberg Berndt Mueller Albert Chang An abstract of a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Physics in the Graduate School of Duke University 2015 Copyright c 2015 by Sean W. Finch All rights reserved except the rights granted by the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial License Abstract Two separate experimental searches for second-order weak nuclear decays to excited final states were conducted. Both experiments were carried out at the Kimballton Underground Research Facility to provide shielding from cosmic rays. The first search is for the 2νββ decay of 96Zr to excited final states of the daughter nucleus, 96Mo. As a byproduct of this experiment, the β decay of 96Zr was also investigated. Two coaxial high-purity germanium detectors were used in coincidence to detect γ rays produced by the daughter nucleus as it de-excited to the ground state. After collecting 1.92 years of data with 17.91 g of enriched 96Zr, half-life limits at the level of 1020 yr were produced. -