Canning, James Alexander Lane;
(2024)
Sensitivities of Beta Decay Neutrino
Experiments to New Physics.
Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
Neutrino experiments form a key pillar of the search for physics beyond the Standard Model. Single beta decay experiments are the only direct means of measuring the absolute values of the neutrino masses. In addition, the discovery of neutrinoless double beta decay would imply the existence of the first known Majorana fermion. However, single beta decay experiments also have the opportunity to search for many other types of new physics. This includes new physics operating at higher energy scales as well as the production of new sterile neutrinos, measured through their effect on the energy and angular distributions for the emitted electron. Lorentz violating effects could also have a significant impact through modifications to the Fermi interaction or to the fermion propagators. The sensitivity to this new physics is considered for the next generation of single beta decay experiments, based upon the new technology of Cyclotron Radiation Emission Spectroscopy. Overall, I find significant potential for the improvement of existing limits and novel sensitivities in certain cases. In double beta decay the precise measurement of the spectral shape and decay rate are important for determining the effective double beta decay mass. Whilst neutrinoless double beta decay is still undetected, and dominated by large nuclear matrix element uncertainties, such precision measurements may be essential in the future. To that purpose, I study the impact of two correction factors on the conventional double beta spectrum: radiative corrections to the decay and the electromagnetic interaction between the two emitted electrons. I show the impact they have on the spectrum and the sensitivity of current experiments to their effects.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | Ph.D |
| Title: | Sensitivities of Beta Decay Neutrino Experiments to New Physics |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2024. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Physics and Astronomy |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10196339 |
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