Reaction Studies of Lepton Number Violation

TL;DR

This paper explores nuclear double charge exchange reactions as a novel method to study lepton number violation, focusing on isotensor transition densities, pion potentials, and proposing lepton DCE reactions as a promising experimental approach.

Contribution

It introduces the first investigation of isotensor two-body transition densities and explores pion potentials and short-range correlations in the context of lepton number violation studies.

Findings

Isotensor two-body transition densities are characterized for the first time.

Pion potentials mirroring neutrino potentials are analyzed.

Lepton DCE reactions are proposed as a new experimental approach.

Abstract

Nuclear isotensor spectroscopy as accessible in nuclear double charge exchange (DCE) reactions is indispensable for quantitative studies of lepton number violation as in double beta decay (DBD). For such studies heavy ion double single charge exchange (DSCE) and direct Majorana double charge exchange (MDCE) reactions are discussed. Isotensor two-body transition densities are investigated for the first time. Pion-potentials, mirroring neutrino potentials, and isotensor short range correlations are explored. Lepton DCE (LDCE) reactions on nuclei at accelerators are introduced as a promising new approach to investigate lepton number violation.