Test of Physics beyond the Standard Model in Nuclei

TL;DR

This paper reviews how nuclear experiments, especially neutrinoless double beta decay searches, test theories beyond the Standard Model like GUT and SUSY by constraining lepton number violation parameters.

Contribution

It compiles current experimental limits on lepton number violating parameters from neutrinoless double beta decay and discusses future experimental prospects.

Findings

Current experiments set upper limits on Majorana neutrino mass

Constraints on R-parity violating SUSY parameters are derived

Future experiments may improve sensitivity to fundamental symmetry violations

Abstract

The modern theories of Grand Unification (GUT) and supersymmetric (SUSY) extensions of standard model (SM) suppose that the conservation laws of the SM may be violated to some small degree. The nuclei are well-suited as a laboratory to test fundamental symmetries and fundamental interactions like lepton flavor (LF) and lepton number (LN) conservation. A prominent role between experiments looking for LF and total LN violation play yet not observed processes of neutrinoless double beta decay. The GUT's and SUSY models offer a variety of mechanisms which allow this process to occur. They are based on mixing of Majorana neutrinos and/or R-parity violation hypothesis. Although the neutrinoless double beta decay has not been seen it is possible to extract from the lower limits of the lifetime upper limits for the effective electron Majorana neutrino mass, effective right handed weak interaction parameters, the effective Majoron coupling constant, R-parity violating SUSY parameters etc. In this work the limits on the LN violating parameters extracted from current neutrinoless double beta decay experiments are listed. Studies in respect to future neutrinoless double beta decay experimental projects are also presented.