The Nature of the Neutrino (Dirac/Majorana) and Double Beta Decay with or without Neutrinos
S. T. Petcov
备注:
21 pages, LATEX, 7 figures, 1 table
发表信息:
Proceedings of the International Conference on History of the Neutrino, Paris, France, September 5-7, 2018 (eds. M. Cribier, J. Dumarchez, D. Vignaud, AstroParticle and Cosmology Laboratory, May 2019), p. 417
The history of research associated with the fundamental problem of the nature of massive neutrinos, which can be Dirac particles or Majorana fermions, and the related processes of neutrinoless double beta decay, $(A,Z)\rightarrow (A,Z+2) + e^- + e^-$, and two neutrino double beta decay, $(A,Z)\rightarrow (A,Z+2) + e^- + e^- + \bar{ν_e} + \bar{ν_e}$, is reviewed.
It is firmly believed that a signal of neutrinoless double beta decay can unquestionably confirm the Majorana nature of neutrinos. However we notice that a Majorana neutrino mass induced after some neutrinoless double beta decay processes can be accidentally cancelled by another Majorana neutrino mass induced before any neutrinoless double beta decay processes. This realistic cancellation can simultaneously allow an observable neutrinoless double beta decay and a vanishing Majorana neutrino mass. In consequence a future discovery of neutrinoless double beta decay cannot fully rule out the poss…
We discuss the relation between the absolute neutrino mass scale, the effective mass measured in neutrinoless double beta decay, and the Majorana CP phases. Emphasis is placed on estimating the upper bound on the nuclear matrix element entering calculations of the double beta decay half life. Consequently, one of the Majorana CP phases can be constrained when combining the claimed evidence for neutrinoless double beta decay with the neutrino mass bound from cosmology.
We construct and apply to beta decays a truly neutral local quantum field that is entirely based upon momentum space Majorana spinors. We make the observation that theory with momentum space Majorana spinors of real C parities is equivalent to Dirac's theory. For imaginary C parities, the neutrino mass can drop from the single beta decay trace and reappear in 0νββ, a curious and in principle experimentally testable signature for a non-trivial impact of Majorana framework in experiments with polarized sources.
Assuming equal tree-level Majorana masses for the standard-model neutrinos, either from the canonical seesaw mechanism or from a heavy scalar triplet, I discuss how their radiative splitting may be relevant to neutrinoless double beta decay and neutrino oscillations.
We assume that neutrinoless double beta decay is caused by the exchange of three light Majorana neutrinos. Under this assumption, we obtain, by the method of perturbation, the equation representing the isocontour of effective Majorana mass which is the function of two CP-violating Majorana phases. The equation representing the isocontour (constraint equation between two Majorana phases) is expressed analytically by six parameters: two lepton mixing angles, two kinds of neutrino mass squared differences, lightest neutrino mass scale, and the effective Majorana mass. We discuss how the constrain…
Neutrinoless double beta decay (NDBD) is the only experiment that could probe the Majorana nature of the neutrino. Here we study the theoretical implications of NDBD for models yielding tri-bimaximal lepton mixing like A4 and S4.
If the present or upcoming searches for neutrinoless double beta decay give a positive result, the Majorana nature of massive neutrinos will be established. From the determination of the value of the effective Majorana mass parameter |<m>|, it would be possible to obtain information on the type of neutrino mass spectrum. Assuming 3-neutrino mixing and massive Majorana neutrinos, we discuss the information a measurement of, or an upper bound on, |<m>| can provide on the value of the lightest neutrino mass m1. With additional data on the neutrino masses obtained in tritium beta decay experiments…
In this paper we analyze the neutrinoless double beta decay predictions in some scenarios with admixture of pseudo-Dirac and Majorana neutrinos in the 3 and 3+1 neutrino frameworks. We found that some of the cases can be falsifiable in near-term and future generations of neutrinoless double beta decay experiments even for the normal neutrino mass hierarchy. In the 3+1 framework we consider the sterile neutrino with a mass of the order of 1 eV. The complementarity between cosmological constraints and the future sensitivity for the next generations of the neutrinoless double beta decay searches …
The probability distribution for the effective Majorana mass as a function of the lightest neutrino mass in the standard three neutrino scheme is computed via a random sampling from the distributions of the involved mixing angles and squared mass diffences. A flat distribution in the [0,2pi] range for the Majorana phases is assumed, and the dependence of small values of the effective mass on the Majorana phases is highlighted. The study is then extended with the addition of the cosmological bound on the sum of the neutrino masses. Finally, the prospects for neutrinoless double beta decay searc…
We explain excess events near the endpoints of the double beta decay spectra of several elements, using the neutrinoless emission of massless Goldstone bosons. Models with scalars carrying lepton number $-2$ are proposed for this purpose so that ordinary neutrinoless double beta decay is forbidden, and we can raise the scale of global symmetry breaking above the 10 keV scale needed for observable emission of conventional Majorons in double beta decay. The electron spectrum has a different shape, and the rate depends on different nuclear matrix elements, than for the emission of ordinary Majoro…
Usually it is supposed that Majorana neutrino produced in the superposition state $χ_L = ν_L + (ν_L)^c$ and then follows the neutrinoless double beta decay. But since weak interactions are chiral invariant then the neutrino at production has definite helicity (i.e., $ν_L$ and $(ν_L)^c$ neutrinos are separately produced and then neutrino is not in the superposition state). This helicity cannot change after production without any external interactions. Thus we see that for unsuitable helicity the neutrinoless double $β$ decay is not possible even if neutrino is a Majorana particle. Also transiti…
The effective Majorana neutrino mass is evaluated by using the latest results of neutrino oscillation experiments. The problems of the neutrino mass spectrum,absolute mass scale of neutrinos and the effect of CP phases are addressed. A connection to the next generation of the neutrinoless double beta decay (0nbb-decay) experiments is discussed. The calculations are performed for 76Ge, 100Mo, 136Xe and 130Te by using the advantage of recently evaluated nuclear matrix elements with significantly reduced theoretical uncertainty. An importance of observation of the 0nbb-decay of several nuclei is …
Assuming 3-$ν$ mixing, massive Majorana neutrinos and neutrinoless double-beta (\betabeta-) decay generated only by the (V-A) charged current weak interaction via the exchange of the three Majorana neutrinos, we briefly review the predictions for the effective Majorana mass $\meff$ in \betabeta-decay and reanalyse the physics potential of future \betabeta-decay experiments to provide information on the type of neutrino mass spectrum, the absolute scale of neutrino masses, and Majorana CP-violation in the lepton sector. Using as input the most recent experimental results on neutrino oscillation…
Assuming 3-neutrino mixing and massive Majorana neutrinos, we analyze the possibility of establishing the existence of CP-violation associated with Majorana neutrinos in the lepton sector i) by measuring of the effective Majorana mass |<m>| in neutrinoless double beta-decay with a sufficient precision and ii) by measuring of, or obtaining a stringent upper limit on, the lightest neutrino mass m1. Information on m1 can be obtained in the tritium beta decay experiment KATRIN and from astrophysical and cosmological observations. Proving that the indicated CP-violation takes place requires, in par…
The problem of Majorana neutrino mass generated in Arkani-Hamed--Dimopoulos-Dvali model with n extra spatial dimensions is discussed. Taking into account constraints on neutrino masses coming from cosmological observations, it is possible to obtain lower limits on the size of extra dimensions as large as 10^{-6} mm. In the case of n=4 it is easy to lower the fundamental scale of gravity from the Planck energy to electroweak scale TeV without imposing any additional constraints. A link between the half-life of neutrinoless double beta decay and the size of extra dimensions is discussed.
We treat 0+ -> 2+ neutrinoless double beta decays taking into account recoil corrections to the nuclear currents. The decay probability can be written as a quadratic form of the effective coupling constants of the right-handed leptonic currents and the effective neutrino mass. We calculate the nuclear matrix elements for the 0+ -> 2+ neutrinoless double beta decays of 76Ge and 100Mo, and demonstrate that the relative sensitivities of 0+ -> 2+ decays to the neutrino mass and the right-handed currents are comparable to those of 0+ -> 0+ decays.
In a novel parametrization of neutrino mixing and in the approximation of $τ$-lepton dominance, we show that the one-loop renormalization-group equations (RGEs) of Dirac neutrinos are different from those of Majorana neutrinos even if two Majorana CP-violating phases vanish. As the latter can keep vanishing from the electroweak scale to the typical seesaw scale, it makes sense to distinguish between the RGE running effects of neutrino mixing parameters in Dirac and Majorana cases. The differences are found to be quite large in the minimal supersymmetric standard model with sizable $\tanβ$, pro…
The magic textures are successful candidates of the correct texture for the Majorana neutrinos. In this study, we show that some types of magic texture for Majorana neutrinos approximately immanent in the flavor mass matrix for Dirac neutrinos. In addition, it turned out that the normal mass ordering of the Dirac neutrino masses is slightly preferable to the inverted mass ordering in the context of the magic textures.
The analysis of the total and geometric phases generated by the neutrino oscillation shows that these phases for Majorana neutrinos are depending on the representation of the mixing matrix and they are different from those of Dirac neutrinos.
We clarify that one cannot distinguish between Majorana and Dirac neutrinos in the limit of vanishing neutrino mass. In particular we show, that the forward-backward asymmetry in the reaction e^+ e^- -> ννis the same for ν_M and ν_D, in contrast to recent claims made in the literature.
Cross sections involving massive Dirac or Majorana neutrinos usually differ only by terms which are suppressed by the smallness of the neutrino mass. The process $e^+e^-\toνν$, however, is an example in which the two differential cross sections are quite distinct even in the limit $m_ν\to 0$ as long as $m_ν\not=0$. I discuss the cause of this phenomenon and comment on strategies to identify processes with quite different Majorana and Dirac neutrino signals.
We explain why it is so hard to determine whether neutrinos are Majorana or Dirac particles as long as the only neutrinos we study are ultra-relativistic. We then show how non-relativistic neutrinos could help, and focus on the angular distributions in the decays of an as-yet-to-be-discovered heavy neutrino $N$. We find that these angular distributions could very well tell us whether neutrinos are Majorana or Dirac particles.
The helicity of a Dirac neutrino with mass $m$ evolves under the influence of a $B$-field because it has a magnetic dipole moment proportional to $m$. Moreover, it was recently shown that a polarized or anisotropic medium engenders the same effect for both Dirac and Majorana neutrinos. Because a $B$-field polarizes a background medium, it instigates helicity oscillations even for Majorana neutrinos unless the medium is symmetric between matter and antimatter. Motivated by these observations, we review the impact of a $B$-field and of an anisotropic or polarized medium on helicity oscillations …
While gluinos and neutralinos are Majorana fermions in the MSSM, they can be Dirac fermion fields in extended supersymmetry models. The difference between the two cases manifests itself in production and decay processes at colliders. In this contribution, results are presented for how the Majorana or Dirac nature of gluinos and neutralinos can be extracted from di-lepton signals at the LHC.
The consequences of CP and CPT invariance for production and subsequent decay of Dirac and Majorana fermions in polarized fermion--antifermion annihilation are analytically studied. We derive general symmetry relations for the production spin density matrix and for the three--particle decay matrices and obtain constraints for the polarization and the spin--spin correlations of Dirac and Majorana fermions. We prove that only for Majorana fermions the energy and opening angle distribution factorizes exactly into contributions from production and decay if CP is conserved.
If future neutrino oscillation experiments show that the neutrino mass spectrum is with normal ordering, m1 < m2 < m3, and the searches for neutrinoless double beta-decay with sensitivity to values of the effective Majorana mass |<m>| > 0.01 eV give negative results, the next frontier in the quest for neutrinoless double beta-decay will correspond to |<m>| ~ 0.001 eV. Assuming that massive neutrinos are Majorana particles and their exchange is the dominant mechanism generating neutrinoless double beta-decay, we analise the conditions under which |<m>|, in the case of three neutrino mixing and …
Are neutrinos with definite masses Majorana or Dirac particles? This is one of the most fundamental problem of the modern neutrino physics. The solution of this problem could be crucial for understanding of the origin of small neutrino masses. We will review here basic arguments in favor of the Majorana nature of massive neutrinos. The phenomenological theory of $0νββ$-decay is briefly discussed and recent experimental data and sensitivity of future experiments are presented.
Dirac and Majorana neutrinos can be distinguished in relativistic neutrino oscillations if new right-handed interactions exist, due to their different propagation in matter. We review how these new interactions affect neutrino oscillation experiments and discuss the size of this eventually observable effect for different oscillation channels, baselines and neutrino energies.
After developing a general criterion for deciding which neutrino mass models belong to the category of inverse seesaw models, we apply it to obtain the Dirac analogue of the canonical Majorana inverse seesaw model. We then generalize the inverse seesaw model and obtain a class of inverse seesaw mechanisms both for Majorana and Dirac neutrinos. We further show that many of the models have double or multiple suppressions coming from tiny symmetry breaking "$μ$-terms". These models can be tested both in colliders and with the observation of lepton flavour violating processes.
It is well known that Majorana neutrinos have a pure axial neutral current interaction while Dirac neutrinos have the standard vector-axial interaction. In spite of this crucial difference, usually Dirac neutrino processes differ from Majorana processes by a term proportional to the neutrino mass, resulting in almost unmeasurable observations of this difference. In the present work we show that once the neutrino polarization evolution is considered, there are clear differences between Dirac and Majorana scattering on electrons. The change of polarization can be achieved in astrophysical enviro…
The predictions for the effective Majorana mass |<m>| in neutrinoless double-beta decay in the case of 3-neutrino mixing and massive Majorana neutrinos are reviewed. The physics potential of the experiments, searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay and having sensitivity to $|<m>| \gtap 0.01$ eV, for providing information on the type of the neutrino mass spectrum, on the absolute scale of neutrino masses and on the Majorana CP-violation phases in the PMNS neutrino mixing matrix is also discussed.
We investigate the interaction of fermions having both Dirac and left-handed and right-handed Majorana mass terms with vacuum domain walls. By solving the equations of motion in thin-wall approximation, we calculate the reflection and transmission coefficients for the scattering of fermions off walls.
We analize the non-cyclic geometric phase for neutrinos. We find that the geometric phase and the total phase associated to the mixing phenomenon provide a tool to distinguish between Dirac and Majorana neutrinos. Our results hold for neutrinos propagating in vacuum and through the matter. Future experiments, based on interferometry, could reveal the nature of neutrinos.
The notion of U(1) lepton number (which may only be softly broken) is applied to models of dark matter which interacts with leptons. Previous scotogenic models of Majorana or Dirac neutrino mass are shown to be derivable in this framework without additional symmetries. Only complete renormalizable theories are considered. An explicit class of models with $Z_n$ ($n \geq 5$) lepton and dark symmetry for Dirac neutrinos is derived, as well as an example of $Z_3$ dark symmetry.
The thermodynamic equations of state for Majorana and Dirac fermions are quite different even in the limit of zero mass. The corresponding equations are derived from general principles, and then applied to neutrinos. The nature of the approach to equilibrium is explored, along with the subtleties of low or zero mass neutrinos interacting via purely left-handed currents. Possible applications to cosmology, supernovae, and supersymmetry are discussed.
In the Standard Model minimally extended to include massive neutrinos, we compute the leading CP-violating zero temperature contributions to the one-loop effective action induced by integration of the leptons. Such contributions start at operators of dimension six and they are P even for Dirac neutrinos and P even or odd for Majorana neutrinos. Dimension four operators are allowed in the mixed Dirac-Majorana case. It is verified by explicit calculation that CP can be violated in two generation settings for Majorana neutrinos. Using different neutrino scenarios we give upper bounds for the coup…
Light sterile neutrinos with masses at the sub-eV or eV scale are hinted by current experimental and cosmological data. Assuming the Majorana nature of these hypothetical particles, we discuss their effects in the neutrinoless double beta decay by exploring the implications of a vanishing effective Majorana neutrino mass. Allowed ranges of neutrino masses, mixing angles and Majorana CP-violating phases are illustrated in some instructive cases for both normal and inverted mass hierarchies of three active neutrinos.
It is shown that for the reason of neutrinos being left-handed and their gauge-couplings being parity-violated, linearly polarized photons acquire their circular polarization by interacting with neutrinos. Calculating the ratio of linear and circular polarizations of laser photons interacting with either Dirac or Majorana neutrino beam, we obtain this ratio for the Dirac neutrino case, which is about twice less than the ratio for the Majorana neutrino case. Based on this ratio, we discuss the possibility of using advanced laser facilities and the T2K neutrino experiment to measure the circular…
If neutrino conversions within the Sun result in partial polarization of initial solar neutrino fluxes then a new opportunity to distinguish Majorana and Dirac neutrinos by measuring the differential $ν_ee$-scattering cross section in solar neutrino detectors arises. The experiment like HELLAZ would be preferable in testing of recoil electron spectra differences initiated by Majorana and Dirac neutrinos since low energy recoil electrons ($T\geq 100 keV$) can be detected and electron energy and direction can be determined with good precision.
We analyze the power of the Tevatron dataset to exclude or discover fourth generation neutrinos. In a general framework, one can have mixed left- and right-handed neutrinos, with Dirac and Majorana neutrinos as extreme cases. We demonstrate that a single Tevatron experiment can make powerful statements across the entire mixing space, extending LEP's mass limits of 60-80 GeV up to 150-175 GeV, depending on the mixing.
In the type-I seesaw mechanism, both the light Majorana neutrinos (ν_1, ν_2, ν_3) and the heavy Majorana neutrinos (N_1, ..., N_n) can mediate the neutrinoless double-beta (0νββ) decay. We point out that the contribution of ν_i to this 0νββprocess is also dependent on the masses M_k and the mixing parameters R_{ek} of N_k as a direct consequence of the exact seesaw relation, and the effective mass term of ν_i is in most cases dominant over that of N_i. We obtain a new bound |\sum R^2_{ek} M_k| < 0.23 eV (or < 0.85 eV as a more conservative limit) at the 2σlevel, which is much stronger than |\s…
We discuss the rare decay of the top quark into a pair of same charge leptons (with identical or different flavors), a b quark and a (real or virtual) W-. The above process proceeds only if the exchanged neutrino N is of the Majorana type. This decay is the neutrinoless double b decay of the top. We find measurable values for its rate at the LHC with luminosity of 100 inverse fb. Furthermore, we consider an interaction of charged Higgs bosons with N which leads to lepton number violating processes such as pp to l+ N to l+ l+ H-, exhibiting spectacular events of the type: l+ l+ b b(bar) + 2 jet…
We discuss the impact of the cosmological measurements on the predictions of the Majorana mass of the neutrinos, the parameter probed by neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments. Using a minimal set of assumptions, we quantify the probabilities of discovering neutrinoless double-beta decay and introduce a new graphical representation that could be of interest for the community.
We consider the matter effects on neutrinos moving in background on the basis of the corresponding quantum wave equations. Both Dirac and Majorana neutrino cases are discussed. The effects for Dirac neutrino reflection and trapping as well as neutrino-antineutrino annihilation and $ν\overlineν$ pair creation in matter at the interface between two media with different densities are considered. The spin light of neutrino in matter is also discussed.
(abridged) The physical mechanisms that make a neutrino with standard-model (SM) weak interactions a "lepton-number conservation (LNC) violating" neutrino such as the Majorana neutrino are analysed in a basis of two Majorana states that have opposite charge-parity ("charge-parity basis"). A small Majorana mass that is larger than any Dirac mass makes the neutrino not a Majorana but a "pseudo-Majorana" particle that has no definite chirality and therefore has a different phenomenology than the physical neutrino. A combination of a large Majorana and Dirac mass of nearly equal value makes the ne…
We present a scenario of neutrino masses and mixing angles. Each generation includes a sterile right handed neutrino in addition to the usual left handed one. We assume a hierarchy in their Dirac masses similar to, but much larger than the hierarchies in the quarks and charged leptons. In addition, we include a Majorana mass term for the sterile neutrinos only. These assumptions prove sufficient to accomodate scales of mass differences and mixing angles consistent with all existing neutrino oscillation data.
We compare the prospects for observing theories with Majorana or Dirac gauginos at a future 100 TeV proton-proton collider. Calculating the expected discovery and exclusion regions, we find that for heavy gluino masses the squark discovery reach is significantly reduced in Dirac gluino models relative to the Majorana case. However, if the squark and gluino masses are close the reach is similar in both scenarios. We also consider the electroweak fine tuning of theories observable at such a collider, and the impact of existing constraints from flavour and CP violating observables. Models with Ma…
We present a novel scheme where Dirac neutrinos are realized even if lepton number violating Majorana mass terms are present. The setup is the Randall-Sundrum framework with bulk right handed neutrinos. Bulk mass terms of both Majorana and Dirac type are considered. It is shown that massless zero mode solutions exist when the bulk Dirac mass term is set to zero. In this limit, it is found that the effective 4D small neutrino mass is primarily of Dirac nature with the Majorana type contributions being negligible. Interestingly, this scenario is very similar to the one known with flat extra dime…
We study the evolution of massive mixed Dirac and Majorana neutrinos in matter under the influence of a transversal magnetic field. The analysis is based on relativistic quantum mechanics. We solve exactly the evolution equation for relativistic neutrinos, find the neutrino wave functions, and calculate the transition probability for spin-flavor oscillations. We analyze the dependence of the transition probability on the external fields and compare the cases of Dirac and Majorana neutrinos. The evolution of Majorana particles in vacuum is also studied and correction terms to the standard oscil…
In spite of the general belief that neutrinos are Majorana particles, their character should be revealed experimentally. We begin by discussing why it is so difficult in terrestrial experiments. If neutrinos are Majorana particles, the first signal should come from neutrinoless double $β$ decay. Still the search for such a decay of various nuclei is negative. We outline how the present knowledge of neutrino masses and mixing matrix elements combined with the bound from $(ββ)_{0ν}$ decay could help to determine their nature.
The possibility of detecting single heavy Dirac and Majorana neutrinos at LEP II is investigated for heavy neutrino masses in the range $M_N=(\sqrt s/2, \sqrt s)$. We study the process $e^+e^- \longrightarrow ν_{\ell} \ell q_i \bar q_j $ as a clear signature for heavy neutrinos. Numerical estimates for cross sections and distributions for the signal and the background are calculated and a Monte Carlo reconstruction of final state particles after hadronization is presented.
We propose a realization of the so-called bimodal/schizophrenic model proposed recently. We assume S4, the permutation group of four objects as flavor symmetry giving tri-bimaximal lepton mixing at leading order. In these models the second massive neutrino state is assumed quasi-Dirac and the remaining neutrinos are Majorana states. In the case of inverse mass hierarchy, the lower bound on the neutrinoless double beta decay parameter m_ee is about two times that of the usual lower bound, within the range of sensitivity of the next generation of experiments.
The Schechter-Valle theorem states that a positive observation of neutrinoless double-beta ($0νββ$) decays implies a finite Majorana mass term for neutrinos when any unlikely fine-tuning or cancellation is absent. In this note, we reexamine the quantitative impact of the Schechter-Valle theorem, and find that current experimental lower limits on the half-lives of $0νββ$-decaying nuclei have placed a restrictive upper bound on the Majorana neutrino mass $|δm^{ee}_ν| < 7.43 \times 10^{-29}~{\rm eV}$ radiatively generated at the four-loop level. Furthermore, we generalize this quantitative analys…
A brief overview is given of theoretical analyses with neutrinoless double beta decay experiments. Theoretical bounds on the ``observable'', <m>_betabeta, are presented. By using experimental bounds on <m>_betabeta, allowed regions are obtained on the m_l-cos{2theta_12} plane, where m_l stands for the lightest neutrino mass. It is shown that Majorana neutrinos can be excluded by combining possible results of future neutrinoless double beta decay and {}^3H beta decay experiments. A possibility to constrain one of two Majorana phases is discussed also.
It was recently claimed that the observed physical neutrinos cannot be of Majorana type because such particles lack vector interactions. Contrary to this claim we show that if the Majorana neutrino is massless it is indistinguishable from the Dirac neutrino so that observed physical neutrinos may equally well be of Majorana or Dirac type.
We discuss the energy scale profile of the bi-maximal mixing which is given at the GUT energy scale in the minimal SUSY model, associated with an assumption that Y_nu^dagger Y_nu is diagonal, where Y_nu is the neutrino-Yukawa coupling matrix. In this model, the Dirac mass matrix which appears in the seesaw neutrino mass matrix is determined by three neutrino masses, two relative Majorana phases and three heavy Majorana masses. All CP phases are related by two Majorana phases. We show that the requirement that the solar mixing angle moves from the maximal mixing at GUT to the observed one as th…