Abstract
Within the framework of chiral effective field theory, we discuss the leading contributions to the neutrinoless double-beta decay transition operator induced by light Majorana neutrinos. Based on renormalization arguments in both dimensional regularization with minimal subtraction and a coordinate-space cutoff scheme, we show the need to introduce a leading-order short-range operator, missing in all current calculations. We discuss strategies to determine the finite part of the short-range coupling by matching to lattice QCD or by relating it via chiral symmetry to isospin-breaking observables in the two-nucleon sector. Finally, we speculate on the impact of this new contribution on nuclear matrix elements of relevance to experiment.
- Received 1 March 2018
- Revised 28 March 2018
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.202001
Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI. Funded by SCOAP3.
Published by the American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Synopsis
A Missing Piece in the Neutrinoless Beta-Decay Puzzle
Published 16 May 2018
The inclusion of short-range interactions in models of neutrinoless double-beta decay could impact the interpretation of experimental searches for the elusive decay.
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