Sterile neutrinos in neutrinoless double beta decay

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 2005 · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.71.077901· OSTI ID:20709030

Benes, P; Faessler, Amand; Simkovic, F ^[1]; Kovalenko, S ^[2]

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1. Institute fuer Theoretische Physik der Univesitaet Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 14, D-72076 Tuebingen (Germany)
2. Departamento de Fisica, Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria, Casilla 110-V, Valparaiso (Chile)

We study possible contribution of the Majorana neutrino mass eigenstate {nu}{sub h}, dominated by a sterile neutrino component, to neutrinoless double beta (0{nu}{beta}{beta}) decay. A special emphasis is made on accurate calculation of the corresponding nuclear matrix elements. From the current experimental lower bound on the 0{nu}{beta}{beta}-decay half-life of 76 Ge we derive stringent constraints on the {nu}{sub h}-{nu}{sub e} mixing in a wide region of the values of {nu}{sub h} mass. We discuss cosmological and astrophysical status of {nu}{sub h} in this mass region.

• OSTI ID: 20709030
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Vol. 71, Issue 7; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.71.077901; (c) 2005 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
DOUBLE BETA DECAY
EIGENSTATES
ELECTRON NEUTRINOS
GERMANIUM 76
HALF-LIFE
NUCLEAR MATRIX
REST MASS