Vanishing effective mass of the neutrinoless double beta decay including light sterile neutrinos

TL;DR

This paper investigates how light sterile neutrinos influence neutrinoless double beta decay, revealing scenarios where the effective Majorana neutrino mass effectively vanishes, affecting experimental detection prospects.

Contribution

It explores the impact of light sterile neutrinos on neutrinoless double beta decay, especially the conditions leading to a vanishing effective Majorana mass, considering both mass hierarchies.

Findings

Effective Majorana mass can vanish due to sterile neutrino contributions.

Allowed parameter ranges depend on mass hierarchy and CP phases.

Sterile neutrinos significantly alter neutrinoless double beta decay predictions.

Abstract

Light sterile neutrinos with masses at the sub-eV or eV scale are hinted by current experimental and cosmological data. Assuming the Majorana nature of these hypothetical particles, we discuss their effects in the neutrinoless double beta decay by exploring the implications of a vanishing effective Majorana neutrino mass. Allowed ranges of neutrino masses, mixing angles and Majorana CP-violating phases are illustrated in some instructive cases for both normal and inverted mass hierarchies of three active neutrinos.