Neutrinoless double beta decay with scalar bilinears

One possible probe to physics beyond the standard model is to look for scalar bilinears, which couple to two fermions of the standard model. We point out that the scalar bilinears allow new diagrams contributing to the neutrinoless double beta decay. The upper bound on the neutrinoless double beta decay lifetime would then give new constraints on the ratio of the masses of these scalars to their couplings to the fermions.Comment: 11 pages latex with 3 figure

Confronting Dilaton-exchange gravity with experiments

We study the experimental constraints on theories, where the equivalence principle is violated by dilaton-exchange contributions to the usual graviton-exchange gravity. We point out that in this case it is not possible to have any CPT violation and hence there is no constraint from the CPT violating measurements in the $K-$system. The most stringent bound is obtained from the $K_L - K_S$ mass difference. In contrast, neither neutrino oscillation experiments nor neutrinoless double beta decay imply significant constraints.Comment: 7 page

Microscopic Calculations of Weak Interaction Rates of Nuclei in Stellar Environment for A = 18 to 100

We report here the microscopic calculation of weak interaction rates in stellar matter for 709 nuclei with A = 18 to 100 using a generalized form of proton-neutron quasiparticle RPA model with separable Gamow-Teller forces. This is the first ever extensive microscopic calculation of weak rates calculated over a wide temperature-density grid which includes 10^7 \leq T(K) \leq 30 \times 10^9 and 10 \leq \rho Y_{e} (gcm^{-3}) \leq 10^{11}, and over a larger mass range. Particle emission processes from excited states, previously ignored, are taken into account, and are found to significantly affect some $\beta$ decay rates. The calculated capture and decay rates take into consideration the latest experimental energy levels and $ft$ value compilations. Our calculation of electron capture and $\beta$-decay rates, in the $fp$-shell, show considerable differences with a recently reported shell model diagonalization approach calculation.Comment: 9 page

Effects of New Gravitational Interactions on Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay

It has recently been proposed that violations of Lorentz invariance or violations of the equivalence principle can be constrained from the non-observation of neutrinoless double beta decay. We generalize this analysis to all possible new gravitational interactions and discuss briefly the constraints for different cases.Comment: 10 page

Weak Interaction Rates Of sd-Shell Nuclei In Stellar Environment Calculated in the Proton-Neutron Quasiparticle Random Phase Approximation

Allowed weak interaction rates for sd-shell nuclei in stellar environment are calculated using a generalized form of proton-neutron quasiparticle RPA model with separable Gamow-Teller forces. Twelve different weak rates are calculated for each nucleus as a function of temperature and density. This project consists of calculation of weak rates for a total of 709 nuclei with masses ranging from A = 18 to 100. This paper contains calculated weak rates for sd-shell nuclei. The calculated capture and decay rates take into consideration the latest experimental energy levels and ft value compilations. The results are also compared with earlier works. Particle emission processes from excited states, previously ignored, are taken into account, and are found to significantly affect some beta decay rates.Comment: 64 pages, 17 figures, rate tables are presented in an abbreviated form to save space. Complete rate tables can be seen in the original pape

Implications of observed neutrinoless double beta decay

Recently a positive indication of the neutrinoless double beta decay has been announced. We study the implications of this result taking into consideration earlier results on atmospheric neutrinos and solar neutrinos. We also include in our discussions the recent results from SNO and K2K. We point out that on the confidence level given for the double beta signal, the neutrino mass matrices are now highly constrained. All models predicting Dirac masses are ruled out and leptogenesis becomes a natural choice. Only the degenerate and the inverted hierarchical solutions are allowed for the three generation Majorana neutrinos. In both these cases we find that the radiative corrections destabilize the solutions and the LOW, VO and Just So solutions of the solar neutrinos are ruled out. For the four generation case only the inverted hierarchical scenario is allowed.Comment: 16 pages, 2 postscript figure

Neutrino mixing schemes and neutrinoless double beta decay

We study the possible structure of the neutrino mass matrix taking into consideration the solar and atmospheric neutrinos and the neutrinoless double beta decay. We emphasize on mass matrices with vanishing elements. There are only a very few possibilities remaining at present. We concentrate on three generation scenarios and find that with three parameters there are few possibilities with and without any vanishing elements. For completeness we also present a five parameter four neutrino (with one sterile neutrino) mass matrix which can explain all these experiments and the LSND result.Comment: 12 pages late