Effective Hamiltonian Approach to Hyperon Beta Decay with Final-State Baryon Polarization

Using an effective Hamiltonian approach, we obtain expressions for hyperon beta decay final-state baryon polarization. Terms through second order in the energy release are retained. The resulting approximate expressions are much simpler and more compact than the exact expressions, and they agree closely with them.Comment: 1 Figure Will appear in Phys Rev D 60 Article 117505 (Dec 1, 1999

Two neutrino positron double beta decay of 106^{106}Cd for 0+→0+0^+ \to 0^+ transition

The two neutrino positron double beta decay of $^{106}$Cd for 0$^{+} \to$ 0$^{+}$ transition has been studied in the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov model in conjunction with the summation method. In the first step, the reliability of the intrinsic wave functions of $^{106}$Cd and $^{106}$Pd nuclei has been tested by comparing the theoretically calculated results for yrast spectra, reduced $B(E2$:$0^{+}\to 2^{+})$ transition probabilities, quadrupole moments $Q(2^{+})$ and gyromagnetic factors $g(2^{+})$ with the available experimental data. In the second step, the nuclear transition matrix element $M_{2\nu}$ and the half-life $T_{1/2}^{2\nu}$ for 0$^{+}\to$ 0$^{+}$ transition have been calculated with these wave functions. Moreover, we have studied the effect of deformation on nuclear transition matrix element M$_{2\nu}.$Comment: 20 page

Muon capture on nuclei with N > Z, random phase approximation, and in-medium renormalization of the axial-vector coupling constant

We use the random phase approximation to describe the muon capture rate on ${}^{44}$Ca,${}^{48}$Ca, ${}^{56}$Fe, ${}^{90}$Zr, and ${}^{208}$Pb. With ${}^{40}$Ca as a test case, we show that the Continuum Random Phase Approximation (CRPA) and the standard RPA give essentially equivalent descriptions of the muon capture process. Using the standard RPA with the free nucleon weak form factors we reproduce the experimental total capture rates on these nuclei quite well. Confirming our previous CRPA result for the $N = Z$ nuclei, we find that the calculated rates would be significantly lower than the data if the in-medium quenching of the axial-vector coupling constant were employed.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev.

What can we learn from neutrinoless double beta decay experiments?

We assess how well next generation neutrinoless double beta decay and normal neutrino beta decay experiments can answer four fundamental questions. 1) If neutrinoless double beta decay searches do not detect a signal, and if the spectrum is known to be inverted hierarchy, can we conclude that neutrinos are Dirac particles? 2) If neutrinoless double beta decay searches are negative and a next generation ordinary beta decay experiment detects the neutrino mass scale, can we conclude that neutrinos are Dirac particles? 3) If neutrinoless double beta decay is observed with a large neutrino mass element, what is the total mass in neutrinos? 4) If neutrinoless double beta decay is observed but next generation beta decay searches for a neutrino mass only set a mass upper limit, can we establish whether the mass hierarchy is normal or inverted? We base our answers on the expected performance of next generation neutrinoless double beta decay experiments and on simulations of the accuracy of calculations of nuclear matrix elements.Comment: Added reference

Capture rate and neutron helicity asymmetry for ordinary muon capture on hydrogen

Applying heavy-baryon chiral perturbation theory to ordinary muon capture (OMC) on a proton, we calculate the capture rate and neutron helicity asymmetry up to next-to-next-to-leading order. For the singlet hyperfine state, we obtain the capture rate Gamma_0 = 695 sec^{-1} while, for the triplet hyperfine state, we obtain the capture rate Gamma_1 = 11.9 sec^{-1} and the neutron asymmetry alpha_1 = 0.93. If the existing formalism is used to relate these atomic capture rates to Gamma_{liq}, the OMC rate in liquid hydrogen, then Gamma_{liq} corresponding to our improved values of Gamma_0 and Gamma_1 is found to be significantly larger than the experimental value, primarily due to the updated larger value of g_A. We argue that this apparent difficulity may be correlated to the specious anomaly recently reported for mu^- + p to n + nu_mu + gamma, and we suggest a possibility to remove these two "problems" simply and simultaneously by reexamining the molecular physics input that underlies the conventional analysis of Gamma_{liq}.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figur

CUORE: A Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events

CUORE is a proposed tightly packed array of 1000 TeO2 bolometers, each being a cube 5 cm on a side with a mass of 760 g. The array consists of 25 vertical towers, arranged in a square of 5 towers by 5 towers, each containing 10 layers of 4 crystals. The design of the detector is optimized for ultralow-background searches: for neutrinoless double beta decay of 130Te (33.8% abundance), cold dark matter, solar axions, and rare nuclear decays. A preliminary experiment involving 20 crystals 3x3x6 cm3 of 340 g has been completed, and a single CUORE tower is being constructed as a smaller scale experiment called CUORICINO. The expected performance and sensitivity, based on Monte Carlo simulations and extrapolations of present results, are reported.Comment: 39 pages, 12 figures, submitted to NI

Nuclear deformation and the two neutrino double-\beta decay in ^{124,126}Xe,^{128,130}Te, ^{130,132}Ba and ^{150}Nd isotopes

The two neutrino double beta decay of $^{124,126}$Xe,$^{128,130}$Te, $^{130,132}$Ba and $^{150}$Nd isotopes is studied in the Projected Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (PHFB) model. Theoretical 2$\nu$ $\beta^{-}\beta ^{-}$ half-lives of $^{128,130}$Te, and $^{150}$Nd isotopes, and 2$\nu \beta^{+}\beta^{+}$, 2$\nu$ $\beta^{+}EC$ and 2$\nu$ $ECEC$ for $^{124,126}$Xe and $^{130,132}$Ba nuclei are presented. Calculated quadrupolar transition probabilities B(E2: $0^+\to 2^+$), static quadrupole moments and $g$ factors in the parent and daughter nuclei reproduce the experimental information, validating the reliability of the model wave functions. The anticorrelation between nuclear deformation and the nuclear transition matrix element $M_{2\nu}$ is confirmed.Comment: 19 page