We discuss the variation of the nuclear matrix element (NME) for the neutrinoless double beta ($0\nu \beta \beta$) decay of ${}^{76}\mathrm{Ge}$ when the wave functions are constrained to reproduce the experimental occupancies of the two nuclei involved in the transition. In the interacting shell model description the value of the NME is enhanced about 15% compared to previous calculations, whereas in the QRPA the NME’s are reduced by 20%–30%. This diminishes the discrepancies between both approaches. In addition, we discuss the effect of the short-range correlations on the NME in light of the recently proposed parametrizations based on a consistent renormalization of the $0\nu \beta \beta$ transition operator.

• Received 2 June 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.80.048501