High Energy Physics Seminar

Series: High Energy Physics Seminar Series

Neutrinoless double beta decay in effective field theory

Wouter Dekens, INT, University of Washington,

Neutrinoless double beta decay (NLDBD) is the most sensitive probe of lepton number violation. Its discovery would be a clear signal of physics beyond the Standard Model, confirm the Majorana nature of neutrinos, and provide insight into scenarios of baryogenesis through leptogenesis. Whenever lepton-number-violating (LNV) physics arises at scales well above the electroweak scale, it can be described in an effective-field theory framework. In this talk, I will outline the necessary steps to assess the impact of LNV sources on NLDBD half lives, paying special attention to the derivation of the effective hadronic interactions at low energies. After discussing how this framework can be extended to include the effects of light sterile neutrinos, I will illustrate the resulting constraints on LNV interactions.

The talk is in 469 Lauritsen.

Contact [email protected] for Zoom information.

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For more information, please visit https://www.theory.caltech.edu/seminars/high-energy-physics-seminars.