Structure of the two-neutrino double-$\beta$ decay matrix elements within perturbation theory

TL;DR

This paper develops an exactly solvable model using SO(8) group generators to analyze two-neutrino double-beta decay matrix elements, revealing their dependence on specific residual interactions and symmetries.

Contribution

It introduces a perturbation theory approach within an SO(8) model to explicitly relate double-beta decay matrix elements to residual nuclear interactions and symmetry violations.

Findings

Decay matrix elements are independent of the mean field.

Decay is dominated by a single intermediate state.

Sum rules connect residual interactions to charge-changing transitions.

Abstract

The two-neutrino double-$\beta$ Gamow-Teller and Fermi transitions are studied within an exactly solvable model, which allows a violation of both spin-isospin SU(4) and isospin SU(2) symmetries, and is expressed with generators of the SO(8) group. It is found that this model reproduces the main features of realistic calculation within the quasiparticle random-phase approximation with isospin symmetry restoration concerning the dependence of the two-neutrino double-$\beta$ decay matrix elements on isovector and isoscalar particle-particle interactions. By using perturbation theory an explicit dependence of the two-neutrino double-$\beta$ decay matrix elements on the like-nucleon pairing, particle-particle T=0 and T=1, and particle-hole proton-neutron interactions is obtained. It is found that double-$\beta$ decay matrix elements do not depend on the mean field part of Hamiltonian and that they are governed by a weak violation of both SU(2) and SU(4) symmetries by the particle-particle interaction of Hamiltonian. It is pointed out that there is a dominance of two-neutrino double-$\beta$ decay transition through a single state of intermediate nucleus. The energy position of this state relative to energies of initial and final ground states is given by a combination of strengths of residual interactions. Further, energy-weighted Fermi and Gamow-Teller sum rules connecting Delta Z = 2 nuclei are discussed. It is proposed that these sum rules can be used to study the residual interactions of the nuclear Hamiltonian, which are relevant for charge-changing nuclear transitions.