arXiv subjects

Jenni Kotila

Publications and source records attributed to Jenni Kotila.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Positron-Emitting and Electron-Capturing Double-Beta Processes in the Standard Model and Beyond

We study positron-emitting and electron-capturing double-beta-decay modes as probes complementary to the usual double beta decay. Motivated by the proposed NuDoubt++ experiment, we analyze the candidate isotopes ${}^{78}$Kr, ${}^{106}$Cd, and ${}^{124}$Xe, providing nuclear matrix elements and phase-space factors for both neutrinoful and neutrinoless modes. For the Standard-Model channels, we find that $2\nu$ECEC and $2\nu\beta^+$EC are the most experimentally accessible, whereas $2\nu\beta^+\beta^+$ remains strongly phase-space suppressed. For the neutrinoless channel, we interpret a projected sensitivity of $T_{1/2}^{0\nu} = 10^{24}$ y in terms of dimension-seven SMEFT operators and find sensitivity to lepton-number-violating new-physics scales of order 1-100 TeV. We further show that measurements in multiple isotopes can help to resolve degeneracies in multi-operator scenarios, making positron-emitting double-beta searches a useful complement to conventional neutrinoless double beta decay experiments.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Precise determination of electron-capture $Q$ value of $^{113}$Sn decay related to electron neutrino mass measurements

A high-precision measurement of the electron-capture (EC) decay $Q$ value for the ground-state-to-ground-state (gs-to-gs) transition of $^{113}$Sn to $^{113}$In has been performed using the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap mass spectrometer. Employing the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance technique, the isomeric state of $^{113}$Sn at 77.389(19) keV was resolved, and the cyclotron frequency ratio measured between the isomer $^{113m}$Sn and the daughter nucleus $^{113}$In. This yielded an isomer-to-ground-state $Q$ value of 1116.64(19) keV and gs-to-gs $Q$ value of 1039.25(19) keV. The atomic mass excess of $^{113}$Sn was determined as $-$88327.87(27) keV/c$^2$, in excellent agreement with the Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020 (AME2020) but with a sixfold precision improvement. Using nuclear energy-level data for $^{113}$In, we identified two low $Q$-value transitions of the ground state of $^{113}$Sn to excited states of $^{113}$In at 1024.280(50) keV ($Q_{EC}^* = 14.97(20)$ keV, second forbidden non-unique) and 1029.650(50) keV ($Q_{EC}^* = 9.60(20)$ keV, allowed). The allowed transition exhibits small energy differences ($\Delta_{L1} = 5.58(20)$ keV, $\Delta_{L2} = 5.87(20)$ keV) from L1 and L2 shell binding energies, enhancing endpoint events. Partial half-lives and energy-release spectra were calculated using the self-consistent Dirac-Hartree-Fock-Slater (DHFS) method (including exchange, overlap, shake-up, and shake-off corrections) together with the nuclear shell model, show enhanced endpoint sensitivity for the allowed transition to the state at 1029.650 keV. Including subthreshold atomic states in the spectral function enhances the EC rate near the zero-neutrino-momentum region by a factor of five, enabling new approaches for low $Q$-value EC reactions in neutrino-mass studies.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2025

High-precision direct decay energy measurements of the electron-capture decay of $^{97}$Tc

A direct measurement of the ground-state-to-ground-state electron-capture decay $Q$ ($Q_{\rm EC}$) value of $^{97}$Tc has been conducted employing the high resolving power phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance technique with the double Penning trap mass spectrometer JYFLTRAP. The resulting $Q_{\rm EC}$ value for $^{97}$Tc is 324.82(21) keV, exhibiting a precision approximately 19 times higher than the value adopted in the newest Atomic Mass Evaluation (AME2020) and differing by 1.2$σ$. Furthermore, by combining this refined $Q$ value with nuclear energy-level data for the decay-daughter $^{97}$Mo, a potential ultra-low Q-value transition, possibly of allowed type, $^{97}$Tc (9/2$^{+}$, ground state) $\rightarrow$ $^{97}$Mo$^{*}$ (320(1) keV), was evaluated for future long-term neutrino-mass determination experiments. The ground-state-to-excited-state electron-capture decay $Q$ value ($Q^{*}_{\rm EC}$) of this transition was determined to be 4.8(10) keV, confirming it to be energetically allowed with a confidence level of exceeding 4$σ$. The captures of electrons occupying the L and higher shells for this transition are energetically allowed, giving a value of 2.0(10) keV for the closest distance of $Q^{*}_{\rm EC}$ to the allowed binding energy of the L1 shell. To predict partial half-lives and energy-release distributions for this transition, the atomic self-consistent many-electron Dirac--Hartree--Fock--Slater method and the nuclear shell model have been employed. Dominant correction terms such as exchange and overlap corrections, as well as shake-up and shake-off effects, were included in the final results. Moreover, the normalized distribution of released energy in the electron-capture decay of $^{97}$Tc to excited states of $^{97}$Mo, is compared with that of $^{163}$Ho, which is being used for electron-neutrino-mass determination.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2024

Muon Capture on $^{6}$Li, $^{12}$C, and $^{16}$O from $Ab~Initio$ Nuclear Theory

Muon capture on nuclei is one of the most promising probes of the nuclear electroweak current driving the yet-hypothetical neutrinoless double-beta ($0νββ$) decay. Both processes involve vector and axial-vector currents at finite momentum transfer, $q\sim 100$ MeV, as well as the induced pseudoscalar and weak-magnetism currents. Comparing measured muon-capture rates with reliable $ab~initio$ nuclear-theory predictions could help us validate these currents. To this end, we compute partial muon-capture rates for $^{6}$Li, $^{12}$C and $^{16}$O, feeding the ground and excited states in $^{6}$He, $^{12}$B and $^{16}$N, using $ab~initio$ no-core shell model with two- and three-nucleon chiral interactions. We remove the spurious center-of-mass motion by introducing translationally invariant operators and approximate the effect of hadronic two-body currents by Fermi-gas model. We solve the bound-muon wave function from the Dirac wave equations in the Coulomb field created by a finite nucleus. We find that the computed rates to the low-lying states in the final nuclei are in good agreement with the measured counterparts. We highlight sensitivity of some of the transitions to the sub-leading three-nucleon interaction terms. We also compare summed rates to several tens of final states with the measured total capture rates and note that we slightly underestimate the total rate with this simple approach due to limited range of excitation energies.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2024

High-precision measurements of the atomic mass and electron-capture decay $Q$ value of $^{95}$Tc

A direct measurement of the ground-state-to-ground-state electron-capture decay $Q$ value of $^{95}$Tc has been performed utilizing the double Penning trap mass spectrometer JYFLTRAP. The $Q$ value was determined to be 1695.92(13) keV by taking advantage of the high resolving power of the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance technique to resolve the low-lying isomeric state of $^{95}$Tc (excitation energy of 38.910(40) keV) from the ground state. The mass excess of $^{95}$Tc was measured to be $-$86015.95(18) keV/c$^2$, exhibiting a precision of about 28 times higher and in agreement with the value from the newest Atomic Mass Evaluation (AME2020). Combined with the nuclear energy-level data for the decay-daughter $^{95}$Mo, two potential ultra-low $Q$-value transitions are identified for future long-term neutrino-mass determination experiments. The atomic self-consistent many-electron Dirac--Hartree--Fock--Slater method and the nuclear shell model have been used to predict the partial half-lives and energy-release distributions for the two transitions. The dominant correction terms related to those processes are considered, including the exchange and overlap corrections, and the shake-up and shake-off effects. The normalized distribution of the released energy in the electron-capture decay of $^{95}$Tc to excited states of $^{95}$Mo is compared to that of $^{163}$Ho currently being used for electron-neutrino-mass determination.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2023

Two-neutrino $ββ$ decay of $^{136}$Xe to the first excited $0^+$ state in $^{136}$Ba

We calculate the nuclear matrix element for the two-neutrino $ββ$ decay of $^{136}$Xe into the first excited $0^+$ state of $^{136}$Ba. We use different many-body methods: the quasiparticle random-phase approximation (QRPA) framework, the nuclear shell model, the interacting boson model (IBM-2), and an effective field theory (EFT) for $β$ and $ββ$ decays. While the QRPA suggests a decay rate at the edge of current experimental limits, the shell model points to a half-life about two orders of magnitude longer. The predictions of the IBM-2 and the EFT lie in between, and the latter provides systematic uncertainties at leading order. An analysis of the running sum of the nuclear matrix element indicates that subtle cancellations between the contributions of intermediate states can explain the different theoretical predictions. For the EFT, we also present results for two-neutrino $ββ$ decays to the first excited $0^+$ state in other nuclei.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2021

Long-range neutrinoless double beta decay mechanisms

Understanding the origin of lepton number violation is one of the fundamental questions in particle physics today. Neutrinoless double beta decay provides a way in which this violation can be tested. In this article, we derive the form of hadronic and leptonic matrix elements for all possible long-range mechanisms of neutrinoless double beta decay. With these, we calculate the numerical values of the nuclear matrix elements (NME) and phase space factors (PSF) by making use of the interacting boson model of the nucleus (IBM-2) for NMEs and of exact Dirac wave functions for the PSFs. We show that:\ (I) lepton number violation can occur even with zero (or very small) neutrino mass and (II) the angular correlations of the emitted electrons can distinguish between different models of non-standard (NS) mechanisms. We set limits on the coupling constants of some NS models, in particular Left-Right models and SUSY models.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Nuclear matrix elements for Majoron emitting double-$β$ decay

A complete calculation of the nuclear matrix elements (NME) for Majoron emitting neutrinoless double beta decay within the framework of IBM-2 for spectral indices $n=1,3,7$ is presented. By combining the results of this calculation with previously calculated phase space factors (PSF) we give predictions for expected half-lives. By comparing with experimental limits on the half-lives we set limits on the coupling constants $\left\langle g_{ee}^{M}\right\rangle $ of all proposed Majoron-emitting models.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2020

Analysis of Light Neutrino Exchange and Short-Range Mechanisms in $0νββ$ Decay

Neutrinoless double beta decay ($0νββ$) is a crucial test for lepton number violation. Observation of this process would have fundamental implications for neutrino physics, theories beyond the Standard Model and cosmology. Focussing on so called short-range operators of $0νββ$ and their potential interplay with the standard light Majorana neutrino exchange, we present the first complete calculation of the relevant nuclear matrix elements, performed within the interacting boson model (IBM-2). Furthermore, we calculate the relevant phase space factors using exact Dirac electron wavefunctions, taking into account the finite nuclear size and screening by the electron cloud. The obtained numerical results are presented together with up-to-date limits on the standard mass mechanism and effective $0νββ$ short-range operators in the IBM-2 framework. Finally, we interpret the limits in the particle physics scenarios incorporating heavy sterile neutrinos, Left-Right symmetry and R-parity violating supersymmetry.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2018

Short-Range Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay Mechanisms

Neutrinoless double beta decay can significantly help to shed light on the issue of non-zero neutrino mass, as observation of this lepton number violating process would imply neutrinos are Majorana particles. However, the underlying interaction does not have to be as simple as the standard neutrino mass mechanism. The entire variety of neutrinoless double beta decay mechanisms can be approached effectively. In this work we focus on a theoretical description of short-range effective contributions to neutrinoless double beta decay, which are equivalent to 9-dimensional effective operators incorporating the appropriate field content. We give a detailed derivation of the nuclear matrix elements and phase space factors corresponding to individual terms of the effective Lagrangian. Using these, we provide general formulae for the neutrinoless double beta decay half-life and angular correlation of the outgoing electrons.

hep-ph↗