Probing the quenching of gA by single and double beta decays

Ground-state-to-ground-state two-neutrino double beta (2νββ) decays and single beta (EC and β−) decays are studied for the A=100 (100Mo100Tc100Ru), A=116 (116Cd116In116Sn) and A=128 (128Te128I128Xe) nuclear systems by using the proton–neutron quasiparticle random-phase approximation exploiting realistic effective interactions in very large single-particle bases. The aim of this exercise is to see if both the single-beta and double-beta decay observables related to the ground states of the initial, intermediate and final nuclei participant in the decays can be described simultaneously by changing the value of the axial-vector coupling constant gA. In spite of the very different responses to single and 2νββ decays of the considered nuclear systems, the obtained results point consistently to a quenched effective value of gA that is (slightly) different for the single and 2νββ decays.Fil: Suhonen, Jouni. Universidad de Jyvaskyla; FinlandiaFil: Civitarese, Enrique Osvaldo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Física; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Double beta decay to the excited states: experimental review

A brief review on double beta decay to excited states of daughter nuclei is given. The ECEC(ov) transision to the excited states are discussed in association with a possible enhancement of the decay rate by several orders of magnitude.Comment: 5 pages; talk at MEDEX'07 ("Matrix Elements for the Double-beta-decay Experiments"; Prague, June 11-14, 2007

Nuclear matrix elements for double beta decay in the QRPA approach: a critical review

The calculation of nuclear matrix elements (NME) for double beta decay transitions (DBD) relies upon several approximations. The purpose of this note is to review some of these approximations, and their impact upon the NME. We shall present our results, which have been obtained in the framework of the proton-neutron quasiparticle random phase approximation (pnQRPA), and we shall focus on short range correlations, pairing, and symmetry effects.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

Probing the quenching of gA by single and double beta decays

Ground-state-to-ground-state two-neutrino double beta (2νββ) decays and single beta (EC and β−) decays are studied for the A=100 (100Mo100Tc100Ru), A=116 (116Cd116In116Sn) and A=128 (128Te128I128Xe) nuclear systems by using the proton–neutron quasiparticle random-phase approximation exploiting realistic effective interactions in very large single-particle bases. The aim of this exercise is to see if both the single-beta and double-beta decay observables related to the ground states of the initial, intermediate and final nuclei participant in the decays can be described simultaneously by changing the value of the axial-vector coupling constant gA. In spite of the very different responses to single and 2νββ decays of the considered nuclear systems, the obtained results point consistently to a quenched effective value of gA that is (slightly) different for the single and 2νββ decays.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

Nuclear matrix elements for double beta decay in the QRPA approach: a critical review

The calculation of nuclear matrix elements (NME) for double beta decay transitions (DBD) relies upon several approximations. The purpose of this note is to review some of these approximations, and their impact upon the NME. We shall present our results, which have been obtained in the framework of the proton-neutron quasiparticle random phase approximation (pnQRPA), and we shall focus on short range correlations, pairing, and symmetry effects.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

Probing the quenching of gA by single and double beta decays

Ground-state-to-ground-state two-neutrino double beta (2νββ) decays and single beta (EC and β−) decays are studied for the A=100 (100Mo100Tc100Ru), A=116 (116Cd116In116Sn) and A=128 (128Te128I128Xe) nuclear systems by using the proton–neutron quasiparticle random-phase approximation exploiting realistic effective interactions in very large single-particle bases. The aim of this exercise is to see if both the single-beta and double-beta decay observables related to the ground states of the initial, intermediate and final nuclei participant in the decays can be described simultaneously by changing the value of the axial-vector coupling constant gA. In spite of the very different responses to single and 2νββ decays of the considered nuclear systems, the obtained results point consistently to a quenched effective value of gA that is (slightly) different for the single and 2νββ decays.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

Improved short-range correlations and 0nbb nuclear matrix elements of 76Ge and 82Se

We calculate the nuclear matrix elements of the neutrinoless double beta ($0\nu\beta\beta$) decays of $^{76}$Ge and $^{82}$Se for the light-neutrino exchange mechanism. The nuclear wave functions are obtained by using realistic two-body forces within the proton-neutron quasiparticle random-phase approximation (pnQRPA). We include the effects that come from the finite size of a nucleon, from the higher-order terms of nucleonic weak currents, and from the nucleon-nucleon short-range correlations. Most importantly, we improve on the presently available calculations by replacing the rudimentary Jastrow short-range correlations by the more advanced unitary correlation operator method (UCOM). The UCOM corrected matrix elements turn out to be notably larger in magnitude than the Jastrow corrected ones. This has drastic consequences for the detectability of $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay in the present and future double beta experiments.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, to appear in Physical Review C (Rapid Communication) 200

Nuclear matrix elements of neutrinoless double beta decay with improved short-range correlations

Nuclear matrix elements of the neutrinoless double beta decays of 96Zr, 100Mo, 116Cd, 128Te, 130Te and 136Xe are calculated for the light-neutrino exchange mechanism by using the proton-neutron quasiparticle random-phase approximation (pnQRPA) with a realistic nucleon-nucleon force. The g_pp parameter of the pnQRPA is fixed by the data on the two-neutrino double beta decays and single beta decays. The finite size of a nucleon, the higher-order terms of nucleonic weak currents, and the nucleon-nucleon short-range correlations (s.r.c) are taken into account. The s.r.c. are computed by the traditional Jastrow method and by the more advanced unitary correlation operator method (UCOM). Comparison of the results obtained by the two methods is carried out. The UCOM computed matrix elements turn out to be considerably larger than the Jastrow computed ones. This result is important for the assessment of the neutrino-mass sensitivity of the present and future double beta experiments.Comment: Two figures, to be published in Physical Review C (2007) as a regular articl