Related papers: Consequences of neutrinoless double beta decay and…
The theoretical and experimental issues relevant to neutrinoless double-beta decay are reviewed. The impact that a direct observation of this exotic process would have on elementary particle physics, nuclear physics, astrophysics and…
Recently the evidence of the neutrinoless double $\beta$ ($0\nu \beta\beta$) decay has been announced. This means that neutrinos are Majorana particles and their mass hierarchy is forced to inverted mass hierarchy (Type B) or degenerate…
The discovery of neutrino masses has raised the importance of studies in the context of neutrinoless double beta decay, which constitutes a landmark for lepton number violation. The standard interpretation is that the light massive…
The recently published cosmological bound on the absolute neutrino masses obtained from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) data has important consequences for neutrino experiments and models. Taken at face value, the new bound…
From the standard seesaw mechanism of neutrino mass generation, which is based on the assumption that the lepton number is violated at a large (~10exp(+15) GeV) scale, follows that the neutrinoless double-beta decay is ruled by the Majorana…
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…
We examine the constraints from the recent HEIDELBERG-MOSCOW double beta decay experiment. It leads us to the almost degenerate or inverse hierarchy neutrino mass scenario. In this scenario, we obtain possible upper bounds for the Majorana…
If grand unification is real, searches for baryon-number violation should be included on the list of observables that may reveal information regarding the origin of neutrino masses. Making use of an effective-operator approach and assuming…
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>|,…
Assuming 3-neutrino mixing and massive Majorana neutrinos, we present some implications of the neutrino oscillation solutions of the solar and atmospheric neutrino problems and the results of the CHOOZ experiment for the predictions of the…
Assuming 3-$\nu$ 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…
Neutrinoless double beta decay has been the subject of intensive theoretical work as it represents the only practical approach to discovering whether neutrinos are Majorana particles or not, and whether lepton number is a conserved quantum…
Neutrinoless double beta decay, which is a very old and yet elusive process, is reviewed. Its observation will signal that lepton number is not conserved and the neutrinos are Majorana particles. More importantly it is our best hope for…
The motivation for the search for $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay is briefly reviewed. It is stressed that the exchange of light Majorana neutrinos is not the only possible mechanism of the decay. The link between lepton number and lepton flavor…
The present experimental status in the search for neutrinoless double beta decay is reviewed, with emphasis on the first indication for neutrinoless double beta decay found in the Heidelberg-Moscow experiment, giving first evidence for…
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…
Neutrinoless double beta decay pops up almost in any extension of the standard model. It is perhaps the only process, which can unambiguously determine whether the massive neutrinos are Majorana or Dirac type particles. In addition from the…
Neutrinoless double beta decay allows to constrain lepton number violating extensions of the standard model. If neutrinos are Majorana particles, the mass mechanism will always contribute to the decay rate, however, it is not a priori…
Recent data from from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) place important bounds on the neutrino sector. The precise determination of the baryon number in the universe puts a strong constraint on the number of relativistic…
We consider the minimal model of the seesaw mechanism by introducing two right-handed neutrinos, whose masses are comparable to the electroweak scale. This framework is attractive, since it is testable at terrestrial experiments. A critical…