IFIC Seminar: Extracting physics beyond the standard model from experiments using atomic nuclei

by Dr. Javier Menéndez (Institut de Ciències del Cosmos, Universitat de Barcelona)

Tuesday 14 Nov 2023, 12:00 → 13:00 Europe/Madrid

1001-Primera-1-1-1 - Paterna. Seminario (Universe)

Several of the most promising experiments searching for physics beyond the standard model of particle physics use atomic nuclei. The interpretation of the experimental results, therefore, requires robust nuclear physics input, usually in the form of nuclear matrix elements or structure factors. As a consequence, high-quality nuclear physics calculations are critical to distinguish in the experimental signals regular standard-model processes from new-physics signatures.

In this talk I will present recent developments in the nuclear structure calculations needed to interpret beyond-standard-model searches. In particular, I will focus on neutrinoless double-beta decay, a process which can tell about the nature of neutrinos and pinpoint the origin of the lack of antimatter in the universe. Nuclear matrix elements have been recently studied including contributions previously ignored, and can be related to second-order electromagnetic and beta decays. In addition, I will discuss the nuclear physics relevant for the coherent scattering of neutrinos off nuclei, a process permitted by the standard model but which may offer hints of new physics as well. Finally, if I have time, I will also are briefly mention other experiments searching for new physics using atomic nuclei such as direct dark matter detection experiments.

 

 

This IFIC Seminar has received funding/support from the Conselleria de Educación, Cultura y Deporte Research Project "Effective field theories in hadron and nuclear physics" (PROMETEO/2020/023).