Virtual Majorana Neutrinos and the Minimum Neutrino Mass Scale in Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay
Fuente:
arXiv
Salvato in:
| Autori principali: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Natura: | Preprint |
| Pubblicazione: |
2025
|
| Soggetti: | |
| Accesso online: | |
| Tags: |
Aggiungi Tag
Nessun Tag, puoi essere il primo ad aggiungerne!!
|
| _version_ | 1866917964444336128 |
|---|---|
| author | Mei, Dongming Dong, Kunming Warren, Austin Bhattarai, Sanjay |
| author_facet | Mei, Dongming Dong, Kunming Warren, Austin Bhattarai, Sanjay |
| contents | Virtual Majorana neutrinos are indispensable for neutrinoless double-beta (0$νββ$) decay. In this study, we demonstrate that the overlap of the virtual Majorana neutrino wavefunction, predominantly composed of a right-handed antineutrino component with a strongly suppressed left-handed component (with amplitude proportional to the effective Majorana neutrino mass, $|m_{ββ}|$, is crucial for triggering this decay process. This effective mass, derived from the minimum neutrino mass, offers valuable insights into the absolute neutrino mass scale. Using best-fit parameters from neutrino oscillation experiments, the minimum neutrino mass is determined from the sum of the three neutrino mass eigenstates, $Σ= m_1 + m_2 + m_3,$ which is represented by two narrow bands centered at approximately 0.06 eV/c$^2$ for the normal hierarchy (NH) and 0.102 eV/c$^2$ for the inverted hierarchy (IH). Under these constraints, the minimum neutrino mass is found to be 0.001186 eV/c$^2$ for NH and 0.002646 eV/c$^2$ for IH, thereby establishing a potential absolute neutrino mass scale for both scenarios. From these values, we calculate $|m_{ββ}|$, which plays a central role in $0νββ$ decay. By combining $|m_{ββ}|$ with decay phase-space factors, nuclear matrix elements, and the absorption probability of the virtual Majorana neutrino, we estimate the $0νββ$ half-life for key isotopes, namely, $^{76}$Ge, $^{130}$Te, and $^{136}$Xe, using two independent methods. The results are in good agreement, and we also discuss the uncertainties in the nuclear matrix elements that may affect these calculations. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_16650 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Virtual Majorana Neutrinos and the Minimum Neutrino Mass Scale in Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay Mei, Dongming Dong, Kunming Warren, Austin Bhattarai, Sanjay High Energy Physics - Phenomenology Nuclear Experiment Nuclear Theory Virtual Majorana neutrinos are indispensable for neutrinoless double-beta (0$νββ$) decay. In this study, we demonstrate that the overlap of the virtual Majorana neutrino wavefunction, predominantly composed of a right-handed antineutrino component with a strongly suppressed left-handed component (with amplitude proportional to the effective Majorana neutrino mass, $|m_{ββ}|$, is crucial for triggering this decay process. This effective mass, derived from the minimum neutrino mass, offers valuable insights into the absolute neutrino mass scale. Using best-fit parameters from neutrino oscillation experiments, the minimum neutrino mass is determined from the sum of the three neutrino mass eigenstates, $Σ= m_1 + m_2 + m_3,$ which is represented by two narrow bands centered at approximately 0.06 eV/c$^2$ for the normal hierarchy (NH) and 0.102 eV/c$^2$ for the inverted hierarchy (IH). Under these constraints, the minimum neutrino mass is found to be 0.001186 eV/c$^2$ for NH and 0.002646 eV/c$^2$ for IH, thereby establishing a potential absolute neutrino mass scale for both scenarios. From these values, we calculate $|m_{ββ}|$, which plays a central role in $0νββ$ decay. By combining $|m_{ββ}|$ with decay phase-space factors, nuclear matrix elements, and the absorption probability of the virtual Majorana neutrino, we estimate the $0νββ$ half-life for key isotopes, namely, $^{76}$Ge, $^{130}$Te, and $^{136}$Xe, using two independent methods. The results are in good agreement, and we also discuss the uncertainties in the nuclear matrix elements that may affect these calculations. |
| title | Virtual Majorana Neutrinos and the Minimum Neutrino Mass Scale in Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay |
| topic | High Energy Physics - Phenomenology Nuclear Experiment Nuclear Theory |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.16650 |