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NASA NTRS1973

Experiments on the origin of molecular chirality by parity non-conservation during beta-decay

Experiments are described to test a theory for the origin of optical activity wherein the longitudinally polarized electrons resulting from parity violation during radioactive beta decay, and their resulting circularly polarized Bremsstrahlung, might interact asymmetrically with organic matter to yield optically active products. Experiments involve subjecting a number of racemic and optically active amino acid samples to irradiation in a 61700 Ci90SR-90Y beta radiation source for a period of 1.34 years, then examining them for any asymmetric effects by means of optical rotatory dispersion and analytical gas chromatography. In the cases of D,L-leucine, norleucine, norvaline and proline as solids, of D,L-leucine in solution and of D,L-tyrosine in alkaline solution no optical rotation was observed during CRD measurements in the 250-630 nm spectral region. While slight differences were noted in the percent radiolysis of solid D- (12.7%) and L-leucine (16.2%) as determined by GC, no enrichment of either enantiomer was found.

Bonner, W. A.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Long-distance nuclear matrix elements for neutrinoless double-beta decay from lattice QCD

Neutrinoless double-beta ( 0 ν β β ) decay is a heretofore unobserved process which, if observed, would imply that neutrinos are Majorana particles. Interpretations of the stringent experimental constraints on 0 ν β β -decay half-lives require calculations of nuclear matrix elements. This work presents the first lattice quantum chromodynamics (LQCD) calculation of the matrix element for 0 ν β β decay in a multinucleon system, specifically the n n → p p e e transition, mediated by a light left-handed Majorana neutrino propagating over nuclear-scale distances. This calculation is performed with quark masses corresponding to a pion mass of m π = 806 MeV at a single lattice spacing and volume. The statistically cleaner Σ − → Σ + e e transition is also computed in order to investigate various systematic uncertainties. The prospects for matching the results of LQCD calculations onto a nuclear effective field theory to determine a leading-order low-energy constant relevant for 0 ν β β decay with a light Majorana neutrino are investigated. This work, therefore, sets the stage for future calculations at physical values of the quark masses that, combined with effective field theory and nuclear many-body studies, will provide controlled theoretical inputs to experimental searches of 0 ν β β decay. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS1974

Experiments on the origin of molecular chirality by parity non-conservation during beta-decay

Bonner, W. A.↗

NASA NTRS1977

On the origin of biological chirality via natural beta-decay

An hypothesis to account for the chirality (handedness) of some biological molecules is given. Experimental evidence suggests that longitudinally polarized electrons having the chirality of terrestrial beta-decay electrons remove dextro-leucine from a racemic mixture. If, by a similar mechanism, the terrestrial environment provided more levo- than dextro-amino acids, that would account for the chirality now observed in organic molecules. An isotope of potassium has been proposed as the natural beta-emitter responsible for biomolecular chirality; however, Carbon 14 may be an even more plausible candidate. Ready availability of the carbon isotope in the terrestrial environment of 4.5 aeons ago, and the role of leucine in protein synthesis indicate that these two agents may have been chief factors in the evolution of biomolecular chirality. Suggestions for further research in this area are made.

Noyes, H. P.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Lattice QCD Calculation of Electroweak Box Contributions to Superallowed Nuclear and Neutron Beta Decays

We present the first lattice QCD calculation of the universal axial γ W -box contribution □ γ W V A to both superallowed nuclear and neutron beta decays. This contribution emerges as a significant component within the theoretical uncertainties surrounding the extraction of | V u d | from superallowed decays. Our calculation is conducted using two domain wall fermion ensembles at the physical pion mass. To construct the nucleon four-point correlation functions, we employ the random sparsening field technique. Furthermore, we incorporate long-distance contributions to the hadronic function using the infinite-volume reconstruction method. Upon performing the continuum extrapolation, we arrive at □ γ W V A = 3.65 ( 7 ) lat ( 1 ) PT × 10 − 3 . Consequently, this yields a slightly higher value of | V u d | = 0.973 86 ( 11 ) exp ( 9 ) RC ( 27 ) NS , reducing the previous 2.1 σ tension with the CKM unitarity to 1.8 σ . Additionally, we calculate the vector γ W -box contribution to the axial charge g A , denoted as □ γ W V V , and explore its potential implications. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

NASA NTRS1982

Beta decay and the origins of biological chirality - Experimental results

Preliminary experimental results are presented of an investigation of the possible role of preferential radiolysis by electrons emitted in the beta decay of radionuclides, a parity-nonconserving process, in the universal causation of the optical activity of biological compounds. Experiments were designed to measure the asymmetry in the production of triplet positronium upon the bombardment of an amino acid powder target by a collimated beam of positrons as positron helicity or target chirality is reversed. No asymmetry down to a level of 0.0007 is found in experiments on the D and L forms of cystine and tryptophan, indicating an asymmetry in positronium formation cross section of less than 0.01, while an asymmetry of 0.0031 is found for leucine, corresponding to a formation cross section asymmetry of about 0.04

Gidley, D. W.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Study of neutron beta decay with the Nab experiment

The current three sigma tension in the unitarity test of the Cabbibo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix is a notable problem with the Standard Model of elementary particle physics. A long-standing goal of the study of free neutron beta decay is to better determine the CKM element Vud through measurements of the neutron lifetime and a decay correlation parameter. The Nab collaboration intends to measure a, the neutrino-electron correlation, with accuracy sufficient for a competitive evaluation of Vud based on neutron decay data alone. This paper gives a status report and an outlook.

Baessler, Stefan↗

DOE OSTI2024

Majorana phases beyond neutrinoless double beta decay

The ν M SM is defined as the SM extended to include dimension-5 operators. In this model neutrino masses violate lepton number, and two parameters of the lepton mixing matrix, the Majorana phases, are yet to be constrained. One combination of these phases and the neutrino masses, often denoted by m ee , is probed by neutrinoless double beta decays (0νββ). We explore what information may be obtained beyond 0νββ, and how it depends on the lightest neutrino mass. We point out that with current central values of the mixing parameters, ΔL e = 2 and ΔL e = ΔL μ = 1 (or ΔL e = 2 and ΔL μ = 2) processes cannot simultaneously vanish, providing a no-lose theorem, in principle, for excluding the ν M SM, even in the case of normal mass ordering.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2026

Lattice calculation of short-range contributions to neutrinoless double-beta decay 𝜋 − → 𝜋 + ⁢𝑒⁢𝑒 at physical pion mass

Neutrinoless double-beta (0⁢𝜈⁢𝛽⁢𝛽) decays provide an excellent probe for determining whether neutrinos are Dirac or Majorana fermions. The short-range matrix elements associated with the 𝜋 − → 𝜋 + ⁢𝑒⁢𝑒 process contribute at leading order in the 0⁢𝜈⁢𝛽⁢𝛽 decay channel 𝑛⁢𝑛 → 𝑝⁢𝑝⁢𝑒⁢𝑒 through pion exchange between nucleons. However, current lattice calculations show notable discrepancies in predicting these short-range contributions. To address this issue, we perform a lattice QCD calculation of the 𝜋 − → 𝜋 + ⁢𝑒⁢𝑒 matrix elements using domain wall fermion ensembles at the physical pion mass generated by the RBC/UKQCD Collaboration. To mitigate contamination from around-the-world effects, we develop a new method to reconstruct and subtract them directly from lattice data. We then perform nonperturbative renormalization in the regularization-independent symmetric momentum-subtraction scheme (RI/SMOM), using the (𝛾 𝜇 , 𝛾 𝜇 ) and ($\not{𝑞}$, $\not{𝑞}$) projectors. Compared with previous studies, this work reduces the uncertainties in the matrix elements and provides an independent cross-check that helps to reconcile the discrepancies among previous lattice calculations.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Final Results of the M AJORANA D EMONSTRATOR ’s Search for Double-Beta Decay of 76 Ge to Excited States of 76 Se

76 Ge can 𝛽⁢𝛽 decay into three possible excited states of 76 Se , with the emission of two or, if the neutrino is Majorana, zero neutrinos. None of these six transitions have yet been observed. The M AJORANA D EMONSTRATOR was designed to study 𝛽⁢𝛽 decay of 76 Ge using a low background array of high purity germanium detectors. With 98.2 kg-y of isotopic exposure, the demonstrator sets the strongest half-life limits to date for all six transition modes. For 2⁢𝜈⁢𝛽⁢𝛽 to the 0$^+_1$ state of 76 Se , this search has begun to probe for the first time half-life values predicted using modern many-body nuclear theory techniques, setting a limit of 𝑇 1/2 > 1.5 × 10 24 y (90% CL).

Majorana neutrinos↗

NASA NTRS1984

Beta decay and the origin of biologial chirality - New experimental results

The hypothetical connection developed by Vester and Ulbricht (1959), between the handedness of beta particles in radioactive decay and the (L) sign of biologial chirality is investigated in a radiolysis experiment. The experiment measured the predicted asymmetry in the formation triplet or 'ortho-' positronium (oPs) in amino acid enantiomers by low energy positrons under conditions of helicity reversal. The positrons were focused on amino acid powder samples. By measuring the time between positron arrival and emission of gamma rays, long-lived oPs were separated from other species. It is found that the asymmetry in leucine (0.8 x 10 to the -4th) is consistent with the theoretical prediction of 10 to the -6th. Neither the experimental limits nor the theoretical estimates are found to rule out a mechanism like that described by Vester and Ulbricht as the cause of the sign of the observed chiral polarization.

Van House, J.↗

DOE OSTI2024

TeV-scale lepton number violation: Connecting leptogenesis, neutrinoless double beta decay, and colliders

In the context of TeV-scale lepton number violating (LNV) interactions, we illustrate the interplay between leptogenesis, neutrinoless double beta ( 0 ν β β ) decay, and LNV searches at proton-proton colliders. Using a concrete model for illustration, we overcome the limitations of previous effective field theory analyses and are able to identify the parameter space where standard thermal leptogenesis is rendered unviable due to washout processes. Moreover, we show how 0 ν β β decay and p p collisions provide complementary probes. We find that the new particle spectrum can have a decisive impact on the relative sensitivity of these two probes. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗

DOE OSTI2026

Radiative corrections to superallowed beta decays at $\mathcal{O}\left({\alpha}^2Z\right)$

We compute $\mathcal{O}\left({\alpha}^2Z\right)$ radiative corrections to superallowed β decays with a heavy-particle effective field theory that systematically describes the interactions of low-energy ultrasoft photons with nuclei. We calculate two-loop virtual and one-loop real-virtual amplitudes by reducing the Feynman integrals to a set of master integrals, which we solve analytically using a variety of techniques. These techniques can be applied to other phenomenologically interesting observables. The ultrasoft corrections can then be combined with contributions arising from the exchange of potential photons to obtain the complete $\mathcal{O}\left({\alpha}^2Z\right)$ correction to the decay rate, with resummation of large logarithms of the electron energy times the nuclear radius. We find that $\mathcal{O}\left({\alpha}^2Z\right)$ ultrasoft loops induce a relative correction to the decay rate that ranges from 0.7 ∙ 10 −3 in the decay of 10 C to 3.6 ∙ 10 −3 in the decay of 54 Co, and will thus impact the extraction of V ud at the permille level. We show that the inclusion of these corrections reduces the residual renormalization scale dependence of the decay rate to a negligible level, making missing ultrasoft perturbative corrections a subdominant source of theoretical uncertainty.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Bridging nuclear physics across energy scales: from neutrinoless double-beta decay to high-energy heavy-ion collisions

This paper exemplifies how connecting methods at disparate energy scales can illuminate fundamental questions. By demonstrating that nuclear wave function properties governing rare decay processes also influence collective behavior at extreme temperatures and densities, the authors have opened a new pathway for constraining physics beyond the Standard Model. With multiple ton-scale 0νββ experiments under construction, any method reducing NME uncertainties will directly impact our ability to interpret discoveries or constrain neutrino properties. The general principle—that collective phenomena in high-energy collisions can illuminate subtle features of many-body correlations in the colliding nuclei—may find applications across nuclear and particle physics. Furthermore, this intersection of nuclear structure theory, heavy-ion physics, and fundamental symmetry tests represents fertile ground for future discoveries in modern physics.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Observation of a rare beta decay of the charmed baryon with a Graph Neural Network

Not provided.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗

DOE OSTI2025

Structure of beta-decaying states in the deformed, neutron-rich nucleus 104 Nb

Excited structures in 104 Mo were populated by β decays of the ground and isomeric states in the neutron-rich nucleus 104 Nb. The beams were produced by the CARIBU facility at Argonne National Laboratory, re-accelerated by the ATLAS accelerator and implanted on a moving-tape system in the middle of the GAMMASPHERE array. Separate decay schemes for the two β-decaying states in 104 Nb were constructed for the first time. The structure of the isomers are discussed in the framework of the deformed Nilsson model and systematics of known quasiparticle structures in neighboring nuclei.

Nilsson model↗

DOE OSTI2026

Quantum Monte Carlo calculation of {delta}C in the superallowed beta decay of 10C

We perform an ab initio quantum Monte Carlo calculation of the isospin-symmetry-breaking correction δC to the superallowed β decay of ¹⁰C. Using both phenomenological and chiral nuclear interactions, we evaluate the Fermi matrix element and quantify its deviation from the canonical √2 value. The resulting δC values lie in the range ≈ 0.15–0.25% and are consistent, within sizable uncertainties (approximately 34%–65% relative), across Hamiltonians, indicating no statistically significant dependence on the choice of nuclear interaction. The extracted values of Vud are also found to be compatible with current determinations within these uncertainties.

Piarulli, M↗

DOE OSTI2026

Beta-Decay Half-Lives beyond 54 Ca: A Systematic Survey of Decay Properties Approaching the Neutron Dripline

In an experiment performed at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) using the FRIB Decay Station initiator, 15 new half-lives of isotopes near 54 Ca were measured. A new method of extracting lifetimes from experimental data, taking into account the unknown 𝛽-delayed neutron emission branches of very neutron-rich nuclei, was developed to enable systematic uncertainty analysis. The experiment observed a dramatic change in the half-life systematics for the isotopes with neutron number 𝑁 = 34. Beyond 𝑁 = 34, the decline of nuclear lifetime is much slower, leading to longer than anticipated lifetimes for near-dripline nuclei. State-of-the-art shell-model calculations can explain the experimental results, revealing the imprint of shell effects and the need for modification of single-particle neutron states. In conclusion, the results from a newly developed quasiparticle random phase approximation model with potential for making global predictions were also tested against the experimental results and good agreement was found.

Physics - Nuclear physics and radiation physics↗