Double Beta Decay, Nuclear Structure and Physics beyond the Standard Model

Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay ($0\nu\beta\beta$) is presently the only known experiment to distinguisch between Dirac neutrinos, different from their antiparticles, and Majorana neutrinos, identical with their antiparticles. In addition $0\nu\beta\beta$ allows to determine the absolute scale of the neutrino masses. This is not possible with neutrino oscillations. To determine the neutrino masses one must assume, that the light Majorana neutrino exchange is the leading mechanism for $0\nu\beta\beta$ and that the matrix element of this transition can ba calculated reliably. The experimental $0\nu\beta\beta$ transition amplitude in this mechanism is a product of the light left handed effective Majorana neutrino mass and of this transition matrix element. The different methods, Quasi-particle Random Phase Approximation (QRPA), Shell Model (SM), Projected Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (PHFB) and Interacting Boson Model (IBM2) used in the literature and the reliability of the matrix elements in these approaches are reviewed. In the second part it is investigated how one can determine the leading mechanism or mechanisms from the data of the $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay in different nuclei. Explicite expressions are given for the transition matrix elements. is shown, that possible interference terms allow to test CP (Charge and Parity conjugation) violation.Comment: Contribution to the EPS conference in Eilath: "Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics 5." April 3rd to 8th. 201

Dibaryon Condensate in Nuclear Matter and Neutron Stars: Exact Analysis in One-Dimensional Models

We investigate dense nuclear matter with a dibaryon Bose-Einstein condensate as a possible intermediate state before the quark-gluon phase transition. An exact analysis of this state of matter is presented in a one-dimensional model. The analysis is based on a reduction of the quantization rules for the N-body problem to N coupled algebraic transcendental equations. We observe that when the Fermi momentum approaches the resonance momentum, the one-particle distribution function increases near the Fermi surface. When the Fermi momentum is increased beyond the resonance momentum, the equation of state becomes softer. The observed behavior can be interpreted in terms of formation of a Bose-Einstein condensate of two-fermion resonances (dibaryons). In cold nuclear matter, it should occur if 2(m_N + epsilon_F) is greater or equal to m_D, where m_N and m_D are respectively the nucleon and dibaryon masses and epsilon_F is the nucleon Fermi energy.Comment: 25 pages, LaTeX, 2 Postscript figures, to appear in Annals of Physic

Gamow-Teller strength distributions for double-beta-decaying nuclei within continuum-QRPA

A version of the pn-continuum-QRPA is outlined and applied to describe the Gamow-Teller strength distributions for $\beta\beta$-decaying open-shell nuclei. The calculation results obtained for the pairs of nuclei $^{116}$Cd-Sn and $^{130}$Te-Xe are compared with available experimental data.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, To appear in the proceedings of "Nucleus-2007: Fundamental problems of nuclear physics, atomic power engineering and nuclear technologies" Voronezh, Russia, June 25-29, 200

Radiative proton-antiproton annihilation and isospin mixing in protonium

A detailed analysis of the radiative $p\bar p$ annihilation is made in the framework of a two-step formalism, the $p\bar p$ annihilates into meson channels containing a vector meson with a subsequent conversion into a photon via the vector dominance model (VDM). Both steps are derived from the underlying quark model. First, branching ratios for radiative protonium annihilation are calculated and compared with data. Then, details of the isospin interference are studied for different models of the initial protonium state and also for different kinematical form factors. The isospin interference is shown to be uniquely connected to the $p\bar p - n\bar n$ mixing in the protonium state. Values of the interference terms directly deduced from data are consistent with theoretical expectations, indicating a dominant $p\bar p$ component for the $^1S_0$ and a sizable $n\bar n$ component for the $^3S_1$ protonium state. The analysis is extended to the $p\bar p \to \gamma \Phi$ transition, where the large observed branching ratio remains unexplained in the VDM approach.Comment: 34 pages, RevTeX, 2 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. C; typos correcte

Extra Dimensions and Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay Experiments

The neutrinoless double beta decay is one of the few phenomena, belonging to the non-standard physics, which is extensively being sought for in experiments. In the present paper the link between the half-life of the neutrinoless double beta decay and theories with large extra dimensions is explored. The use of the sensitivities of currently planned $0\nu2\beta$ experiments: DAMA, CANDLES, COBRA, DCBA, CAMEO, GENIUS, GEM, MAJORANA, MOON, CUORE, EXO, and XMASS, gives the possibility for a non-direct `experimental' verification of various extra dimensional scenarios. We discuss also the results of the Heidelberg--Moscow Collaboration. The calculations are based on the Majorana neutrino mass generation mechanism in the Arkani-Hamed--Dimopoulos--Dvali model.Comment: I've decided to move the collection of my papers to arXiv for easier acces