Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay in Particle Physics

TL;DR

This paper reviews the significance of neutrinoless double beta decay in particle physics, exploring its dependence on neutrino parameters, alternative mechanisms, and its role in distinguishing neutrino mass models.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive review of neutrinoless double beta decay, including standard and non-standard mechanisms, and discusses how it can help differentiate neutrino mass models.

Findings

Neutrinoless double beta decay depends on specific neutrino parameters.

It can be mediated by mechanisms other than light Majorana neutrino exchange.

The decay process can help distinguish different neutrino mass models.

Abstract

Neutrinoless double beta decay is a process of fundamental importance for particle physics. It can be mediated by light massive Majorana neutrinos (standard interpretation) or by something else (non-standard interpretations). We review its dependence on the neutrino parameters, its complementarity to other observables sensitive to neutrino mass, and emphasize its ability to distinguish different neutrino mass models. Then we discuss mechanisms different from light Majorana neutrino exchange, and show what can be learned from those and how they could be tested.