Neutrinoless double electron capture as a tool to measure the electron neutrino mass
Abstract
A nucleus ( Z, A) may capture two atomic electrons to become ( Z - 2, A). For Majorana neutrinos this may occur with no neutrino emission, the process is a virtual mixing of the parent atom and the daughter atom with two electron holes. The process becomes real as the daughter atom de-excites. In some cases where the daughter nucleus is excited, the neutrinoless decay may be enhanced by its proximity to a virtual resonance. We identify the 112Sn → 112Cd transition as a good case. The no-neutrino lifetime for mν = 30 eV ranges from 10 22 to 10 27 years as a function of the insufficiently well determined distance to resonance. The signatures of the two- or no-neutrino modes are very different.
- Publication:
-
Nuclear Physics B
- Pub Date:
- August 1983
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0550-3213(83)90089-5
- Bibcode:
- 1983NuPhB.223...15B