Energy levels of A = 21−44 nuclei (V)

The discovery of neutrino masses through the observation of oscillations boosted the importance of neutrinoless double beta decay (). In this paper, we review the main features of this process, underlining its key role from both the experimental and theoretical point of view. In particular, we contextualize the in the panorama of lepton number violating processes, also assessing some possible particle physics mechanisms mediating the process. Since the existence is correlated with neutrino masses, we also review the state of the art of the theoretical understanding of neutrino masses. In the final part, the status of current experiments is presented and the prospects for the future hunt for are discussed. Also, experimental data coming from cosmological surveys are considered and their impact on expectations is examined.

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Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay: 2015 Review

Recent experimental progress in nuclear halo structure studies

A review is given of our present knowledge of collective spin-isospin excitations in nuclei. Most of this knowledge comes from intermediate-energy charge-exchange reactions and from inelastic electron- and proton-scattering experiments. The nuclear-spin dynamics is governed by the spin-isospin-dependent two-nucleon interaction in the medium. This interaction gives rise to collective spin modes such as the giant Gamow-Teller resonances. An interesting phenomenon is that the measured total Gamow-Teller transition strength in the resonance region is much less than a model-independent sum rule predicts. Two physically different mechanisms have been discussed to explain this so-called quenching of the total Gamow-Teller strength: coupling to subnuclear degrees of freedom in the form of $\ensuremath{\Delta}$-isobar excitation and ordinary nuclear configuration mixing. Both detailed nuclear structure calculations and extensive analyses of the scattering data suggest that the nuclear configuration mixing effect is the more important quenching mechanism, although subnuclear degrees of freedom cannot be ruled out. The quenching phenomenon occurs for nuclear-spin excitations at low excitation energies ($\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\sim}10\ensuremath{-}20$ MeV) and small-momentum transfers ($q\ensuremath{\le}0.5$ ${\mathrm{fm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$). A completely opposite effect is anticipated in the high ($\ensuremath{\omega}$, $q$)-transfer region ($0\ensuremath{\le}\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\le}500$ MeV, $0.5\ensuremath{\le}q\ensuremath{\le}3$ ${\mathrm{fm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$). The nuclear spin-isospin response might be enhanced due to the attractive pion field inside the nucleus. Charge-exchange reactions at GeV incident energies have been used to study the quasifree peak region and the $\ensuremath{\Delta}$-resonance region. An interesting result of these experiments is that the $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ excitation in the nucleus is shifted downwards in energy relative to the $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ excitation of the free proton. The physical origin of this shift is discussed, and it is shown that it may be related to the energy-dependent, attractive one-pion exchange interaction in the medium.

M. Ichimura

Papers

Magnetic moments and GT-type β-decay matrix elements in nuclei with a LS doubly closed shell plus or minus one nucleon

Four-nucleon transfer reactions among heavy ions