Status and Future of Nuclear Matrix Elements for Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay: A Review

TL;DR

This review discusses the current status and future prospects of calculating nuclear matrix elements crucial for neutrinoless double-beta decay, highlighting recent advances and the potential of ab initio methods for improved accuracy.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of past and recent work on nuclear matrix elements, emphasizing developments in ab initio nuclear-structure theory for more precise calculations.

Findings

Recent progress in nuclear models for matrix elements

Emerging ab initio methods with quantifiable uncertainties

Growing importance of accurate matrix elements for experiments

Abstract

The nuclear matrix elements that govern the rate of neutrinoless double beta decay must be accurately calculated if experiments are to reach their full potential. Theorists have been working on the problem for a long time but have recently stepped up their efforts as ton-scale experiments have begun to look feasible. Here we review past and recent work on the matrix elements in a wide variety of nuclear models and discuss work that will be done in the near future. Ab initio nuclear-structure theory, which is developing rapidly, holds out hope of more accurate matrix elements with quantifiable error bars.