Conference on Neutrino and Nuclear Physics (CNNP2017)

15 Oct 2017, 18:00 → 21 Oct 2017, 16:00 Europe/Rome

Monastero dei Benedettini, University of Catania, Catania, Italy

Clementina (INFN-LNS) Agodi (INFN-LNS), Francesco (University of Catania and INFN-LNS) Cappuzzello (University of Catania and INFN-LNS)

The main objective of CNNP2017 is to promote a collaborative framework of researchers from the fields of nuclear, neutrino, astro and dark-matter physics to discuss experiments and theories in which nuclear physics aspects are particularly relevant. The overlap between different communities is an unavoidable, despite demanding, feature in order to face several challenges of modern fundamental physics. The sharing of different experimental and theoretical techniques, the exchange of technical experiences and know-how is perhaps the best resource to build a unified view of the afore mentioned scientific problems.

A preliminary list of the topics to be developed during the Conference is below:

• Nuclear double beta decays
• Nuclear structure in connection with neutrino physics
• Nuclear reactions as a probe for weak decays
• Neutrino-nucleus interaction at low and high energy
• Supernova models and detection of supernova neutrinos
• Solar models and detection of solar neutrinos
• Direct and indirect dark-matter searches
• Rare beta decays of nuclei for neutrino-mass measurements
• Neutrino oscillations and matter effects
• Anomalies in reactor neutrinos
• New related detection technologies

At present nuclear structure plays an ever growing role in the mentioned fields of fundamental physics, but still a lot needs to be done. In this context, it is of utmost importance to allow people working at the intersections of these fields to meet regularly to exchange ideas and results. For this reason, the CNNP2017 aims at evolving in the long term into a periodic meeting.

The CNNP2017 conference is hosted jointly by the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare - Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, and the University of Catania.

Sponsored by:

First Circular CNNP2017_First_Circular.pdf

Second Circular CNNP2017_second.pdf

Timetable timetable.pdf

Sunday, 15 October

19:00 → 20:30 Registration

20:30 → 23:15 Welcome dinner

Monday, 16 October

08:00 → 08:30 Registration

08:30 → 11:00 Plenary

Convener: Dieter FREKERS (Univ. Muenster)

08:30 Istitutional welcome

09:00 Open questions in neutrino physics

In this presentation, after a brief historical introduction, I will review the progress made in the last few years in theoretical approaches to the open questions of 1. What is the absolute mass scale of neutrinos 2. Are neutrinos Dirac or Majorana particles [1] 3. How many neutrino species are there After briefly discussing single beta decay and single electron capture as a way to determine the neutrino mass [2], I will concentrate my attention to neutrinoless double beta decay (DBD). Here, I will first discuss the standard mass mechanism and the associated phase space factors (PSF), G0ν, and nuclear matrix elements (NME), M0ν, appearing in the expression for the inverse half-life showing the current limits on the average neutrino mass, <mν>, obtained with the free value of the axial vector coupling constant, gA=1.269. I will then discuss the present situation for the quenching of the axial vector coupling constant in heavy nuclei, indicating the impact that this quenching may have on experiments and showing results for three scenarios, free value gA=1.269, quark value gA=1.0, and maximal quenching gA=1.269 A-0.18. In the final part of the presentation, I will discuss current work on contributions to neutrinoless DBD of 1. (Hypothetical) sterile neutrinos [3], light and heavy 2. (Hypothetical) non-standard mechanisms, short-range and long-range In the concluding remarks, and in light of the part of the presentation dealing with sterile neutrino and non-standard mechanisms, I will strengthen the argument for continuing experimental work of neutrinoless DBD. [1] E. Majorana, Nuovo Cimento 14, 171 (1937) [2] E. Fermi, Z. Phys. 88, 161 (1934) [3] B. Pontecorvo, Sov. Phys. JETP 26, 984 (1968)

Speaker: Prof. Francesco Iachello (Yale University)

Slides iachello-catania(2017).pdf

09:30 Experimental nuclear structure studies for neutrino physics

Recent experimental studies are reviewed on neutrino nuclear responses (square of nuclear matrix element NME) for double beta decays and astro neutrino interactions.The NMEs are re-normalized (quenched) by nucleonic and non-nucleonic correlations. The experimental studies to be discussed include single and double charge exchange reactions, muon capture reactions, photo-nuclear reactions and so on. 1. H. Ejiri Physics Report 338 (2000) 265 2. J. Vergados, H. Ejiri, and F. Simkovic, ROPP 75 (2012) 163007 3. H. Ejiri, N. Soukouti, and J. Suhonen, Phys. Lett. B. 729 (2014) 27 4. H. Ejiri and D. Frekers, J. Phys. G. Letters 43 (2016) 11LT01

Speaker: Prof. Hiro Ejiri (RCNP Osaka University)

Slides HEjiri_CNNP.pdf

10:00 Favored neutrinoless double beta decay mechanisms and associated nuclear matrix elements

The recent progress in theoretical description of the 0νββ-decay is shortly reviewed. The 0νββ-decay with the inclusion of the right-handed leptonic and hadronic currents and by assuming exchange of both light and heavy neutrinos is revisited. The possibility to discriminate between different 0νββ-decay mechanisms by using data on 0νββ-decay half-lives of different nuclei is addressed. Subject of interest are the accuracy and reliability of calculated NMEs associated with different 0νββ-decay mechanisms. The present-day results of the calculation of the 0νββ-decay NMEs are discussed. A possible progress in the calculation of the double beta decay NMES within the QRPA approached is outlined and supported by the studies performed within schematic models. An impact of the quenching of the axial-vector coupling constant on double-beta decay processes is investigated and possibility to determined quenched value of gA is proposed. A connection between the 2νββ-decay and 0νββ-decay matrix elements is analyzed. The importance of charge-exchange reactions, double-charge exchange reactions and charge exchange of pion on nuclei for determining 0νββ-decay NMEs is discussed.

Speaker: Prof. Fedor Simkovic (Comenius University and JINR Dubna)

Slides Simkovic_Fedor_CNNP17_[Compatibility_Mode].pdf

10:30 The Sun and solar neutrinos

I will review the physics of solar neutrino oscillations, the information which can be extracted on neutrino properties and the role of solar neutrinos in the studies of the properties of the Sun. I will then focus on the solar composition problem and on the role of future CNO neutrino measurements for an assessment of its solution

Speaker: Francesco Lorenzo Villante (AQ)

Slides VillanteCNPP2017.pdf

11:00 → 11:30 Coffee break

11:30 → 13:00 Plenary

Convener: Alexei Smirnov (Max-Planck-Institute for Nuclear Physics, Heidelberg)

11:30 Status and Perspectives of Solar Neutrino Research at Super-Kamiokande

8B solar neutrino measurements from SNO and Super-Kamiokande have clearly demonstrated solar neutrino flavor conversion and determined neutrino oscillation parameters driving this conversion. Current studies at Super-Kamiokande test crucial predictions of the solar neutrino oscillation paradigm such as the transition from conversion driven by the solar electron density to vacuum oscillations in the energy region near three MeV of neutrino energy, the change in survival probability due to the impact of the terrestrial electron density, as well as consistency of solar neutrino oscillation parameters with those determined from anti-neutrinos. In the future these analyses will benefit from a reduced energy threshold and new techniques such as improved tagging of cosmogenic radioactive decays.

Speaker: Dr Michael Smy (University of California, Irvine)

Slides cnnp_2017_smy.pdf

12:00 Probing Nuclear Beta-Decay by Heavy Ion Charge Exchange Reactions

In a new theoretical approach, it is shown that heavy ion charge exchange reactions are appropriate for probing nuclear response functions of the same type as encountered in single and double beta decay. In particular, a special class of nuclear double charge exchange (DCE) reactions proceeding as a one-step reaction through a two-body process are shown to involve nuclear matrix elements of the same diagrammatic structure as in 0ν2β decay. These correlated DCE reactions must be distinguished from second order DCE reactions which are characterized the best as sequential double single charge exchange (dSCE) carrying a close resemblance to 2ν2β decay. Our results suggest that ion-ion DCE reactions are the ideal testing grounds under well-defined dynamical conditions for investigations of double-beta decay nuclear matrix elements.

Speaker: Prof. Horst Lenske (Univ. Giessen)

Slides Lenske_CNNP_2017.pdf

12:30 The CONUS coherent neutrino scattering experiment

The CONUS detector aims at measuring coherent scattering of reactor antineutrinos. Details of the detector setup, its status and schedule will be presented. The physics potential of this detector alone, in combination with others and with up-scaled versions will be discussed.

Speaker: Manfred Lindner (MAX-PLANCK-INSTITUT)

Slides lindner.pdf

13:00 → 14:30 Lunch

14:30 → 15:50 Parallel

Convener: Alfredo Galindo-Uribarri (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)

14:30 EXPERIMENTS ON THE COMPETITIVE DOUBLE-GAMMA DECAY

Double-gamma (gg) decay of an excited quantum state is an electromagnetic decay process of second order in the coupling constant. It represents the emission of two photons in a single quantum transition instead of one. Their total energy corresponds to the transition energy and their energy distributions are dictated by the available phase space. The process of gg-decay is equivalent to the double-beta decay of weak interaction and represents its electromagnetic analogon. Both second-order processes of the electroweak interaction have first been discussed by Maria Goeppert-Mayer [1] some 90 years ago. In particular the neutrino-less double-beta (0nbb) decay has lately received a great deal of attention because of its sensitivity to the possible Majorana character of the neutrino and to the neutrino mass, both, representing two of the most outstanding contemporary problems of particle physics. Given a future measurement of the 0nbb-decay transition rate, the determination of the neutrino mass requires a reliable prediction of the corresponding nuclear matrix element. Nuclear models that claim predictive power for electroweak second-order decay processes must be expected to correctly predict gg-decay reactions and should be tested against corresponding data. Double-gamma-decay processes in nuclei [2] have been observed previously in peculiar situations, only, where the first-order process, i.e., decay by a single-gamma ray transition, is forbidden. This is the case for J^p = 0+ to 0+ transitions due to the strict conservation of the finite helicity of the photon. For more than 30 years, nuclear spectroscopists have searched for signals of gg-decay processes in the general situation where the gg-decay competes with an allowed single-gamma decay, up to recently without success. We will report on our discovery [3] of the Competitive Double-Gamma (gg/g) Decay process of an excited nuclear state and on our measurements of its decay rate and its multipole contributions from the measured decay branching ratio and its angular distribution. We have studied the electromagnetic decay of the T1/2 = 2.5 min., 11/2- isomer of the nuclide 137Ba at 662 keV excitation energy to its 3/2+ ground state. The 662 keV gg/g-decay branch amounts to 2 x 10-6 resulting in a partial halflife of more than 2 years and it is dominated by M2-E2 cascades with substantial E3-M1 contributions. The data will be presented. This observation was facilitated by the combination of excellent time resolution and considerable energy resolution of recently emerging LaBr3:Ce gamma-ray detectors that we have used for our measurements. The possible development of this kind of experiments will be discussed. [1] M. Göppert, Naturwissenschaften 17, 932(1929); M. Göppert-Mayer, Ann. Phys. (Leipzig) 9, 273 (1931). [2] J. Kramp et al., Nucl. Phys. A 474, 412 (1987). [3] C. Walz, H. Scheit, N. Pietralla, T. Aumann, R. Lefol, V.Yu. Ponomarev, Nature 526, 406 (2015).

Speaker: Prof. Norbert Pietralla (TU Darmstadt)

Slides Pietralla_CNNP2017_doublegamma.pdf

14:50 Fragment Z-Yield Distributions in Thermal-Neutron Induced Fission Reactions Relevant for Reactor Antineutrino Research, re-measured by using Calorimetric Low-Temperature Detectors

Precise data on fission-fragment yield distributions in terms of mass, nuclear charge, and kinetic energy are of great interest for a better understanding of the fission process. Precise isotopic yields for 92Rb and 96Y, in particular, are important for the investigation of reactor antineutrino oscillations and the study of the reactor antineutrino anomaly [1] In a recent experiment, performed at the research reactor at ILL Grenoble, the new concept of calorimetric low-temperature detectors, which is based on the collection of phonons and is thus comprising basic advantage over conventional ionization-mediated detectors with respect to detector performance [2], was applied for the first time for the investigation of Z-yield distributions of fission fragments. Fragments from thermal neutron induced fission were mass-separated with the LOHENGRIN separator, and then, after passing through silicon-nitride degrader foils, detected in an array of calorimetric low-temperature detectors. Considerable improvement in Z-resolving power was achieved as compared to previous measurements conventionally with ionization chambers, what has allowed to reach the region of mass symmetry and to approach the heavy fragment mass region, both being not fully explored before. The new experimental technique will be briefly discussed, and an overview on data obtained for thermal neutron induced fission of 235U, 239Pu and 241Pu targets in the mass range 82 < A < 139 will be presented which may contribute to a better understanding of the fission process. In particular, for A = 92 and A = 96 new precise values for the isotopic yields for 92Rb and 96Y for all three measured fission reactions were obtained, which may lead to a better interpretation of the reactor antineutrino anomaly [1]. [1] A. A. Sonzogni et al., Phys. Rev. C91 (2015) 011301 [2] P. Egelhof and S. Kraft-Bermuth in Cryogenic Particle Detection, Topics Appl. Phys. 99, 469-500 (2005), Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Speaker: Prof. Peter Egelhof (GSI Darmstadt)

Slides CNNP_2017_Egelhof.pdf

15:10 Neutrino interactions with nucleons and nuclei in the few-GeV region

The precise determination of neutrino properties in current and future accelerator-based oscillation experiments requires a good understanding and realistic modeling of neutrino interactions in the detectors; it is crucial to distinguish signal from background, reconstruct the neutrino energy and minimize systematic uncertainties. Our present theoretical description of quasielastic and inelastic scattering on nucleons and nuclei is discussed in the light of recent experimental results. This includes efforts to take into account realistic descriptions of the ground state, relativistic kinematics and final state interactions. The example of photon emission induced by neutral current interactions, both coherent and incoherent, and its impact for the MiniBooNE and T2K experiments is presented in more detail.

Speaker: Dr Luis Alvarez Ruso (Instituto de Física Corpuscular (IFIC), Valencia)

Slides LAR_CNNP_v8.pdf

15:30 Double-Beta Decay of Medium-Mass Nuclei within the Realistic Shell Model

We report on the calculation of double-beta decay properties for nuclei around 132Sn within the framework of the realistic shell model. The effective shell-model Hamiltonian and transition operators are derived by way of many-body perturbation theory [1,2], without resorting to empirical effective quenching factors for the transition operators. We present the results for Gamow-Teller and two-teutrino double-beta decays, comparing them with the available experimental data [3]. This is crucial in order to establish the reliability of our approach to tackle the challenging neutrinoless double-beta decay problem. [1] L. Coraggio, A. Covello, A. Gargano, N. Itaco, and T. T. S. Kuo, Ann. Phys. 327, 2125 (2012). [2] K. Suzuki and R. Okamoto, Prog. Theor. Phys. 93, 905 (1995). [3] L. Coraggio, L. De Angelis, T. Fukui, A. Gargano, N. Itaco, Phys. Rev. C 95, 064324 (2017).

Speaker: Dr Luigi Coraggio (INFN-NA)

Slides Coraggio.pdf

14:30 → 15:30 Parallel

Convener: Chiara Brofferio (MIB)

14:30 Revisiting the nuclear beta decay input in the reactor anomaly

The study of nuclear beta decay has continually been at the forefront in exposing the properties of the electroweak interaction, and forms a sensitive probe in searching for Beyond Standard Model hints. It is an essential ingredient in the analysis of the so-called reactor antineutrino anomaly, and current results are obtained through the application of extensive averaging and basic approximations concerning nuclear structure. Considering the importance of a possibly positive result, it is clear that uncertainties stemming from aforementioned approximations must be well understood and, where possible, improved. Recently the description of the the allowed beta spectrum shape was reviewed and extended, and treated in an analytical fashion [1]. Additional work was performed on the evaluation of the weak magnetism contribution by taking into account nuclear deformation effects [2]. Excellent agreement was found when comparing to experimental mirror nuclei results, capitalizing on the importance of said deformations. Mean field models show strongly deformed shapes in the fission fragment region which must be addressed. Through a combination of these efforts steps are taken in improving the reliability and uncertainties of the anomaly analysis. [1] L. Hayen, N. Severijns, K. Bodek, D. Rozpedik, X. Mougeot, Invited by Reviews of Modern Physics, To be published [2] N. Severijns, L. Hayen, et al., In preparation

Speaker: Mr Leendert Hayen (IKS, KU Leuven)

Slides Hayen_CNNP_16_10_17.pdf

14:50 A Multi-Pixel Photon Counter detector prototype for direct detection of scintillation light in liquid xenon.

We present the performances and characterization of a detector array made of S13370-3050CN, VUV4 generation of Multi-Pixel Photon Counter manufactured by Hamamatsu, sensitive to vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light, in the range of interest of the xenon scintillation. The array is equipped with a low power consumption preamplifier electronics and can be operated at liquid xenon temperature (175 K). The electronics is meant for the readout of a 8 by 8 matrix of individual photosensors and it is based on the use of a single operational amplifier. The system is also provided with a biasing correction circuit for the gain equalization of photosensors with different breakdown voltages. Depending on the application, the electronics can house different models of operational amplifiers. The results show a pronounced single photon detection capability opening for its use in dark matter search with liquid xenon target. The detailed simulation of noise contributions to the overall noise suggests a dominant component related to photosensor characteristics, while the contribution of the electronic noise sources is negligible. The results of a one to one comparison between detector prototype and R11410 photomultiplier tube obtained by measuring the intensity of VUV light selected in step of 1 nm and delivered by a monochromator, are also presented.

Speaker: Dr ADRIANO DI GIOVANNI (NEW YORK UNIVERSITY ABU DHABI)

Slides Adriano_VUV4_CNNP.pdf

15:10 A NaI-based cryogenic scintillating calorimeter: status and results of the COSINUS project

The COSINUS (Cryogenic Observatory for SIgnals seen in Next-generation Underground Searches) project aims to provide a model independent cross-check of the long-standing DAMA/LIBRA claim on the observation of dark matter by using the same target material, but with a different experimental approach. The use of sodium iodide (NaI) crystals, operated at cryogenic temperature as scintillating calorimeters, provides both a low energy threshold for nuclear recoil events as expected from dark matter particle interactions, and the possibility to perform particle discrimination. Indeed, the dual read-out of phonon and light allows to perform signal to background discrimination on an event-by-event basis, a unique feature in comparison to other NaI-based dark matter searches. In this talk we will discuss in detail the COSINUS detector concept and we will present the performances of our first detector prototypes together with the results of the first measurements.

Speaker: Dr Natalia Di Marco (LNGS)

Slides CNNP2017_Cosinus_DiMarco.pdf

15:50 → 16:20 Coffee break

16:20 → 18:20 Plenary

Convener: Valerio Pirronello (CT)

16:20 Neutrino mass from cosmological surveys

We review the prospects to measure the neutrino mass and other properties from cosmological wide-field surveys, including DES, DESI, Euclid, LSST and SKA.  The talk will focus on how to control systematics and parameter degeneracy, as well as on how to combine cosmological data with terrestrial neutrino experiments.

Speaker: Prof. Ofer Lahav (University College London, UK)

Slides Lahav_neutrnios_Catania_16Oct2017A.pdf

16:50 Investigation of rare nuclear decays by using scintillation detectors

Crystal scintillators possess certain advantages for investigations of rare alpha, beta and double beta decays thanks to presence of the element of interest in the crystal scintillator compound, that provides almost 100% detection efficiency to the effect searched for. High sensitivity double beta experiments with 116Cd and 106Cd were realized (in progress) with enriched cadmium tungstate crystal scintillators, lithium and zinc molybdate crystals enriched in 100Mo were developed for neutrinoless double beta experiments with 100Mo. Precise measurement of the fourth-forbidden nonunique beta decay of 113Cd with cadmium tungstate low temperature detector is in progress to estimate the effective value of the axial vector coupling constant gA, a crucial parameter to calculate nuclear matrix elements for neutrino less double beta decay. Radioactive contamination of scintillation materials plays a key role in the experiments that require as low as possible (ideally zero) background counting rate in the region of interest. Improvement of radiopurity to the micro-Bq/kg level by the double crystallization is confirmed with tungstate and molybdate crystal scintillators. High radiopurity of crystal scintillators, together with an excellent energy resolution and efficient particle discrimination capability of the low temperature scintillating bolometers make the detectors promising for the next generation neutrinoless double beta experiments aiming at test the inverted neutrino mass scheme and even go toward the normal neutrino mass hierarchy.

Speaker: Prof. Fedor Danevich (CSNSM, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS/IN2P3, Univ. Paris-Saclay)

Slides fa-danevich_01a.pdf

17:20 Probing Nuclear Correlations with Direct Reactions

The evaluation of nuclear matrix elements is one of the cornerstones of the theoretical description of neutrinoless double beta decay rates. Unfortunately, different state-of-the-art structure calculations show very different results when computing them. Nucleon-nucleon pairing correlations are essential ingredient, it is thus important to devise experimental probes sensitive to the relevant correlations, in order to have a tool to assess for the quality of the structure calculations. Within this context, we will thus try to highlight in this talk the role of pairing correlations in multi-nucleon transfer reactions.

Speaker: Mr Gregory Potel Aguilar (Michigan State University)

Slides PotelCataniaSlides2017.pdf

19:00 → 20:30 Benedictine Monastery or Ursino Castle Tour

Tuesday, 17 October

09:00 → 11:00 Plenary

Convener: Manfred Lindner (MAX-PLANCK-INSTITUT)

09:00 Quenching of gA in beta and double beta decays: A review

We still do not know if the neutrino is a Majorana or a Dirac particle, i.e. if the neutrino is its own antiparticle or not. Also the absolute mass scale of the neutrino is unknown, only the relative scale is known from the neutrino-oscillation experiments. These unknown features of the neutrino can be tackled by experiments trying to detect the neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay. The rate of 0νββ decay depends on the second power of the double Gamow-Teller nuclear matrix element, M(0ν) GTGT containing virtual transitions through various multipole states Jπ. The matrix element is multiplied by the second power of the effective (quenched) value of the weak axial-vector coupling constant for 0νββ decay, (geff A,0ν)2. The coupling constant geff A,0ν plays an extremely important role in determining the 0νββ-decay rate since the rate is proportional to its 4th power. The amount of quenching has become an important issue in the neutrino-physics community due to its impact on the sensitivities of the present and future large-scale 0νββ-decay experiments. The quenching of gA is traditionally related to shell-model calculations of Gamow-Teller β-decay rates. Similar quenchings can also be obtained in some other nuclear-model frameworks, like the proton-neutron quasiparticle random-phase approximation (pnQRPA) and the microscopic interacting boson model (IBM-2). The quenching of gA has also been addressed in calculations of the rates of two-neutrino double beta (2νββ) decays where the g4 A dependence is present like in the 0νββ decays but the quenching can be of different magnitude since the scale of the exchanged momentum between the nucleons and the neutrino is different. Novel ways to address the quenching problem are offered by the studies of forbidden β decays. The virtual transitions going through the Jπ states are divided into Fermi, Gamow-Teller and forbidden unique and non-unique beta transitions. Theoretically, the unique forbidden transitions are simple to handle since the related decay rates are proportional to the square of only one nuclear matrix element. Rates of the forbidden non-unique β transitions are, however, complex combinations of lepton phase-space factors and many nuclear matrix elements. The shapes of the corresponding spectra of the emitted electrons (β spectra) can, however, be very sensitive to the value of gA, and thus the measured β spectra can give information on the effective value of gA. In my contribution I present a review of the quenching problem of gA in β and ββ decays. In particular, I want to draw attention to a very recent result concerning the impact of the (possibly strong) quenching of gA on the sensitivity of the 0νββ-decay experiments.

Speaker: Prof. Jouni Suhonen (University of Jyväskylä)

Slides 1-CNNP2017-Suhonen.pdf

09:30 EXO-200 results and status of the nEXO double beta decay experiments

EXO-200 was the first 100kg-class double-beta decay detector to start data taking in 2011.  The goals of the experiment are to search for Majorana neutrinos and lepton number violation with unprecedented sensitivity and to serve as a prototype to test what was then an entirely new technology to be used in a multi-ton experiment.  I will report on the results from EXO-200, which is still taking data, and review the design of nEXO, a 5,000kg experiment that we plan to build as the next step.

Speaker: Prof. Giorgio Gratta (Stanford University, Physics Dept)

Slides 2-EXO_200-nEXO_Gratta.pdf

10:00 Testing creation of matter with neutrinoless double beta decay

In this talk, the importance of the so called "neutrinoless double beta decay" transition in the search for physics beyond the Standard Model is emphasized. The expectations for the transition rate are examined in the assumption that ordinary neutrinos have Majorana masses. We stress the relevance of cosmological measurements and discuss the uncertainties implied by nuclear physics. Work based on the review paper Adv.High Energy Phys. 2016 (2016) 2162659

Speaker: Francesco Vissani (LNGS)

Slides 3-cnnp-2017_Vissani.pdf

10:30 The direct neutrino mass search with KATRIN

The next generation direct neutrino mass experiment KATRIN, the Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino experiment will improve the best limit from the tritium beta decay experiments at Mainz and Troitsk of 2 eV by one order of magnitude to 200 meV probing the region relevant for structure formation in the universe and to distinguish hierarchical from quasi-degenerate neutrino mass scenarios. In addition to the neutrino mass KATRIN will be sensitive to eV and keV sterile neutrinos and other physics beyond the Standard Model. KATRIN uses a strong windowless gaseous molecular tritium source combined with a huge MAC-E-Filter as electron spectrometer. In October 2016 KATRIN celebrated "first light": For the first time electrons from a photoelectron source and ions from an ion source were successfully transported over the full KATRIN beamline of 70m length. In July 2017 conversion electrons from Kr-83m decays in the tritium source (still without tritium) will be used for calibration and commissioning. The commissioning next steps aim to allow Tritium data taking in 2018. Data and results from the various commissioning steps of KATRIN and an outlook on the tritium data taking and analysis will be presented.

Speaker: Prof. Christian Weinheimer (University of Muenster, Institut fuer Kernphysik)

Slides 4-cnnp_weinheimer.pdf

11:00 → 11:30 Coffee break

11:30 → 13:00 Plenary

Convener: Francesco Iachello (Yale University)

11:30 Direct neutrino mass measurement by the HOLMES experiment

The assessment of the neutrino absolute mass scale is still a crucial challenge in today particle physics and cosmology. Beta or electron capture spectrum end-point study is currently the only experimental method which can provide a model independent measurement of the absolute scale of neutrino mass. HOLMES is an experiment to directly measure the neutrino mass by performing a calorimetric measurement of the energy released in the electron capture decay of the artificial isotope $^{163}$Ho. In a calorimetric measurement the energy released in the decay process is entirely contained into the detector, except for the fraction taken away by the neutrino. This approach eliminates both the issues related to the use of an external source and the systematic uncertainties arising from decays on excited final states. HOLMES will deploy a large array of low temperature microcalorimeters implanted with $^{163}$Ho nuclei. The achievable neutrino mass statistical sensitivity is expected in the eV range, thereby making HOLMES an important step forward in the direct neutrino mass measurement with a calorimetric approach as an alternative to spectrometry. HOLMES will also establish the potential of this approach to achieve a sub-eV sensitivity. HOLMES is designed to collect about $3\times10^{13}$ decays with an instrumental energy resolution around 1 eV FWHM and a time resolution around 1 $\mu$s. To achieve this in three years of measuring time, HOLMES is going to deploy 16 sub-arrays of TES microcalorimeters. Each sub-array has 64 pixels ion implanted with $^{163}$Ho nuclei to give a pixel activity of 300Bq per pixel. The TES arrays are read out using microwave multiplexed rf-SQUIDs in combination with a Software Designed Radio data acquisition system. The commissioning of the first implanted sub-array is scheduled for the end of 2017 and it will provide first high statistics data about the EC decay of $^{163}$Ho together with a preliminary limit on the neutrino mass. In this contribution we outline the HOLMES project with its physics reach and technical challenges, along with its status and perspectives. In particular we will present the status of the HOLMES activities concerning the $^{163}$Ho isotope production by neutron irradiation and purification, the TES pixel design and optimization, the multiplexed array read-out characterization, the cryogenic set-up installation, and the setting up of the mass separation and ion implantation system for the isotope embedding in the TES absorbers.

Speaker: Dr Angelo Enrico Lodovico Nucciotti (MIB)

Slides talk_CNNP17-Nucciotti.pdf

12:00 The XENON1T Dark Matter Experiment at LNGS

Astrophysical observations at all scales provide indisputable evidence for the existence of an invisible and dominant mass component in the observable universe. The nature of this dark matter remains one of the greatest challenges of modern physics. The leading hypothesis is that dark matter is made of new elementary particles, with a vast range of masses and interaction cross-sections with normal matter. A well-motivated class of candidates are Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). One way to search for WIMPs is through their scattering off atomic nuclei in low background detectors placed deep underground. I will discuss the XENON1T dark matter experiment ongoing at the Gran Sasso Laboratory, the first to use thousands of kilograms of liquid xenon as WIMP target and detector material. XENON1T has demonstrated an unprecedented low background and the best sensitivity over a wide range of WIMP masses. The upgrade to a larger detector will also be discussed.

Speaker: Prof. Elena Aprile (Columbia University)

Slides CNNP2017-Aprile_.pdf

12:30 Neutrino Collective Oscillation and Mass Hierarchy, and their Impact on Supernova Nucleosynthesis

Core-collapse supernovae (both magneto-hydrodynamic jet supernovae; MHD Jet-SNe, and neutrino-driven wind supernovae; n-SNe), and binary neutron-star mergers (NSMs) are viable astrophysical sites for r-process elements [1]. The MHD Jet-SNe explain the “universality” in the observed abundance pattern in metal poor stars, while NSMs could not contribute to the early Galaxy for cosmologically long merging time-scale for very slow GW radiation. The NSM is still an important nucleosynthetic site for the solar-system r-process abundances [2], suggesting a possible site for fission recycling r-process [3]. The origin of heavy nuclei has not been clearly understood although sixty years have already passed since B2FH (1957). We will discuss that the neutrino-induced nucleosynthesis takes the significant keys to solve this long standing question. Nucleosynthesis of light-to-heavy mass nuclei like 7 Li and 11B and intermediate-to-heavy mass nuclei like 92Nb, 98Tc, 138La, 180Ta and r-process elements is strongly affected by the neutrino flavor oscillations in the n-SNe [4]. These effects are less pronounced in MHD Jet-SNe and NSMs for faster expansion time scale than the neutrino-nucleus interaction time scale. We will first discuss the sensitivity of these nuclear abundances to the neutrino parameters of each species ne, nμ, nt, or their anti-particles. We then discuss how to constrain the neutrino mass hierarchy through the MSW effects [5]. The elements whose masses are in the range of 80-100 have several possible nuclear reactions such as r-, s-, rp-, g-, np-processes, etc. Although the n-SN is presumed to be the robust astrophysical site of the 1st r-process abundance-peak elements like As-Se-Br, neutron-rich condition (Ye < 0.5) suitable for a successful r-process is sometimes broken, depending on the neutrino luminosities and spectra. When one takes account of collective neutrino oscillations, n-driven winds could turn into proton-rich (Ye > 0.5). We will, secondly, discuss the effects of collective neutrino oscillations on the vp-process nucleosynthesis. We propose that the proton-rich outflows from the n-SNe could be the astrophysical site for the production of 92Mo, 96Ru and other abundant p-nuclei [6]. [1] T. Kajino & G. J. Mathews, Rep. Prog. Phys. 80 (2017), 084901. [2] Y. Hirai, Y. Ishimaru, T. R. Saitoh et al. with T. Kajino, ApJ 814 (2015), 41; Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc. 466 (2017), 2472-2487. [3] S. Shibagaki, T. Kajino, G. J. Mathews et al., ApJ 816 (2016), 79. [4] T. Kajino, G. J. Mathews & T. Hayakawa, J. Phys. G41 (2014), 044007. [5] G. J. Mathews, T. Kajino, W. Aoki & W. Fujiya, Phys. Rev. D85 (2012), 105023; T. Suzuki & T. Kajino, J. Phys. G40 (2013), 083101. [6] H. Sasaki, T. Kajino, T. Takiwaki et al., Phys. Rev. D96 (2017), 043013.

Speaker: Prof. Taka Kajino (National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, The University of Tokyo)

Slides Kajino_CNNP-2017.pdf

13:00 → 14:30 Lunch

14:30 → 15:50 Parallel

Convener: Jesus Lubian Rios (Institute of Physics, Federal Fluminense University)

14:30 Double Gamow-Teller transition of Ca-48 and its relation to neutrinoless double-beta decay

We study the double Gamow-Teller (DGT) transition of Ca-48 with state-of-the-art nuclear shell model calculations, including up to two harmonic oscillator shells (sd and pf shells). An analysis of the sensitivity of the DGT strength distribution with respect to nuclear correlations shows that the centroid energy of the DGT giant resonance depends mostly on the isovector pairing interaction, while the resonance width is more sensitive to isoscalar pairing. Pairing correlations are also known to be key to determine the nuclear matrix element of neutrinoless double-beta (0nbb) decay. We find a simple relation between the centroid energy and width of the DGT giant resonance and the value of the Ca-48 0nbb decay matrix element. In addition we observe a very good linear correlation between the 0nbb decay matrix element and the DGT transition to the ground state of the final nucleus, Ti-48. This correlation holds in general for pf-shell nuclei and extends to an energy-density functional calculation. Our theoretical results suggest that DGT experiments on Ca-48 and other nuclei can be a very valuable tool to constrain the value of 0nbb decay nuclear matrix elements.

Speaker: Dr Javier Menendez (Center for Nuclear Study, University of Tokyo)

Slides menendez_catania.pdf

14:50 The CUORE and CUORE 0 experiments at LNGS

The Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE) is the first bolometric experiment searching for neutrinoless double beta decay that has been able to reach the 1-ton scale. The detector consists of an array of 988 TeO2 crystals arranged in a cylindrical compact structure of 19 towers. The construction of the experiment and, in particular, the installation of all towers in the cryostat was completed in August 2016 and commissioning started in fall 2016. The experiment has completed the pre-operation phase and is currently in data taking. In this talk we will present the achievements of CUORE during the commissioning phase and the first results from the full detector run. Physics results from CUORE-0 will also be updated.

Speaker: Dr Chiara Brofferio (MIB and INFN-Bicocca)

Slides CNNP2017_Brofferio-short.pdf

15:10 The ENUBET project: high precision neutrino flux measurements in conventional neutrino beams

The precision era of neutrino physics requires measurements of absolute neutrino cross sections at the GeV scale with exquisite (1%) precision. These measurements are presently limited by the uncertainties on neutrino flux: the goal of the ERC ENUBET Project is to demonstrate that such uncertainties can be removed employing novel monitoring techniques of the leptons at the neutrino source. In particular, a reduction of these systematics by one order of magnitude can be achieved monitoring the positron production in the decay tunnel originating from the K_e3 decays of charged kaons in a sign and momentum selected narrow band beam. In this talk we present the results obtained during the first year of the Project on beamline simulation, rate and dose assessment, detector prototyping and evaluation of the physics reach.

Speaker: Dr Michele Pozzato (INFN-Bo)

Slides 20171017_Pozzato_CNNP_Catania.pdf

15:30 Double charge-exchange reactions and the effect of transfer

Single and double charge-exchange reactions are of a great interest specially due to its connection with the Fermi and Gamow-Teller transitions and the corresponding single and double beta decays. Within this project, charge-exchange reactions with heavy ions at intermediate energies will be performed for several neutrinoless double beta decay candidates. At these energies, there are competing channels like transfer contributing to the final double charge cross section which are not present in the correspondent beta decay. However, this can be used as an opportunity to further constrain the wavefunction of the nuclei involved: they can also be studied in terms of one and two nucleon transfer cross section which will be measured in the same experiment. In the present contribution we will focus on the study and analysis of the transfer contribution to the charge exchange cross section for the cases studied within the NUMEN project. In particular, we will discuss about the reactions 40Ca(18Ne,18O)40Ar and 116Cd(20Ne,20O)116Sn at 15 MeV/u which will be analyzed in terms of 2nd order DWBA.

Speaker: Dr José Antonio Lay Valera (Dpto. de Física Atómica, Molecular y Nuclear, Universidad de Sevilla)

Slides lay_catania17_tbs.pdf

14:30 → 15:50 Parallel

Convener: Rita Bernabei (ROMA2)

14:30 The Electron Capture in Ho-163 experiment

The Electron Capture in Ho-163 (ECHo) experiment is designed to investigate the electron neutrino mass with sub-eV sensitivity by the analysis of the electron capture energy spectrum of Ho-163. The sensitivity on the electron neutrino mass is crucially related to the energy available for the decay 𝑄 = 2833(30𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡)(15𝑠𝑦𝑠) eV, which has been precisely determined by the ECHo collaboration. Accordingly, a sensitivity below 10 eV at the end of the present phase of the experiment, ECHo-1k, is expected. During this phase about 1 kBq of high purity Ho-163 source will be implanted in arrays of low temperature metallic magnetic calorimeters operated in a reduced background environment. The goals of the current phase are the precise characterization of the parameters describing the spectrum, optimization of the processes needed to enclose high purity Ho-163 into the pixels of the detector arrays as well as the identification and reduction of the background. These results will pave the way to a future phase of the experiment, where activities of the order of MBq will be used. With this second phase we could approach sub-eV sensitivity on the electron neutrino mass. Furthermore, the high statistics and high resolution measurement of the Ho-163 electron capture spectrum will allow for the investigation of the existence of eV sterile neutrinos and keV-scale sterile neutrinos up to a masses close to the 𝑄-value energy. In this contribution, a general overview of the ECHo experiment is presented and the current status as well as the future perspectives are discussed.

Speaker: Dr Loredana gastaldo (Kirchhoff Institute for Physics, Heidelberg University)

Slides Gastaldo_CNNP_v1_web.pdf

14:50 The Digital Optical Module of the KM3NeT project

The KM3NeT project is building a neutrino telescope in the depths of the Mediterranean Sea. The telescope will consist of cubic kilometer sized 3-dimensional arrays of Digital Optical Modules (DOMs), suspended in the sea by vertical string structures, called detection units. The KM3NeT telescope will comprise two detectors with different density of the optical modules: KM3NeT/ARCA at the KM3NeT-Italy site dedicated to high-energy neutrino astronomy and KM3NeT/ORCA, a denser detector located at the KM3NeT-France site and dedicated to the study of neutrino mass hierarchy. The optical modules, which represent the sensitive part of the neutrino telescope, are pressure-resistant 17-inch diameter transparent glass vessels, each hosting 31 3-inch diameter photomultiplier tubes and all the ancillary sensors and associated electronics for synchronization, front-end and signal read-out. The multi-PMT solution represents an innovative design, considering that the optical modules of all the other neutrino telescopes –ANTARES, Baikal and IceCube - have a design with a single large photomultiplier, typically with a photocathode diameter of 10 inch. This novel solution, in which the signals of the individual photomultipliers compose a segmented photodetector, allows for accurate photon counting and offers directional information and the capability of background rejection at the DOM detection level. The use of many small-area photomultipliers increases the total detection area of the optical module compared to a design with a single 10-inch photomultiplier, also taking advantages from the weaker sensitivity to the Earth’s magnetic field and the better timing characteristics. The design has been already demonstrated in-situ by several prototypes. Since end 2015, two full size detection units are operational at a depth of 3500 m, installed in the KM3NeT-Italian site. In this contribution the innovative design of the KM3NeT Digital Optical Modules is discussed, with a particular focus on the main components and the enabling technologies.

Speaker: Dr Emanuele Leonora (CT)

Slides E_Leonora_CNNP2017.pdf

15:10 Pinpointing astrophysical bursts of low-energy neutrinos with a network of detectors

Next galactic core-collapse supernova (CCSN) is a one for life event that we should not miss. The detection of its electromagnetic waves, neutrinos and gravitational waves can probe the supernova engine improving our learning of this catastrophic event. A robust emission of low-energy neutrinos is expected to accompany a CCSN explosion, however the identification of real astrophysical bursts embedded into the noise is challenging. We discuss the response of a worldwide network of neutrinos telescopes to the expected signal, its detection efficiency and in particular its capability to recognise small statistic signals from distant supernovae.

Speaker: Dr Giulia Pagliaroli (GSSI)

Slides PagliaroliCNNP2017.pdf

15:30 The SoLid experiment searching for anti-neutrinos short baseline oscillations at SCK•CEN BR2 reactor

The revaluation of the reactor flux for θ13 experiments lead to a deficit of measured anti-neutrinos compared to theoretical prediction. This so-called the Reactor Anti-neutrino Anomaly (RAA) could be explained by flavor oscillations to a new type of neutrinos: the sterile neutrino. The SoLid experiment intends to search for active-to-sterile anti-neutrino oscillations at the very short baseline (5-9 m) of the SCK•CEN BR2 research reactor (Mol, Belgium) to address the RAA. A novel detector approach to detect the reactor anti-neutrinos was developed based on an innovative hybrid scintillator technology combining PVT and 6LiF:ZnS scintillators. The first scintillator serves as an anti-neutrino target for Inverse Beta Decay (IBD) reaction and measure the positron energy. The second scintillator tag the neutron capture on 6Li and measure the characteristic IBD delay time. The system is highly segmented (5 cm) and read out by a network of wavelength shifting fibers and MPPCs. High experimental sensitivity can be achieved compared to other standard technologies thanks to the combination of high granularity, high neutron-gamma discrimination using 6LiF:ZnS(Ag) scintillator and precise localization of the Inverse Beta Decay products. The reconstruction of the full topology of the events allows a strong background rejection which will be necessary given the low overburden at the reactor building. In this contribution to CNNP 2017, we will describe the detection principle demonstrated by the 300 kg prototype deployed in 2015. We will then present the performances improvements compared to this prototype thanks to dedicated test benches studies. To be continued by the construction and integration of the full scale detector (up to 2 t) for which construction is already well advanced. Intensive calibration (gamma and neutron) campaigns directly follow the construction of the planar detector elements and first data taking at the reactor site are expected by July 2017. The status of these calibrations and commissioning will be presented before concluding on the perspectives and the expected sensitivity. Dr Mathieu Bongrand bongrand@lal.in2p3.fr LAL – Centre Scientifique d'Orsay – Bat 200 – BP 34 – 91898 Orsay Cedex – France

Speaker: Dr Mathieu Bongrand (LAL CNRS)

Slides cnnp-solid-bongrand-10-2017.pdf

15:50 → 16:20 Coffee break

16:20 → 18:20 Plenary

Convener: Ofer Lahav

16:20 IBM approaches for 0nbb nuclear matrix elements

We introduce the Interacting Boson Model briefly and its connection with the Shell Model. The calculation of double beta decay matrix elements using this model is explained and some features which affect them are noted, as for instance the single particle energies.

Speaker: Dr Jose Barea (Universidad de Concepción)

Slides BareaCNNP2017.pdf

16:50 Status and perspectives of the JUNO experiment

The JUNO Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory, a 20 kton multi-purpose underground liquid scintillator detector, has been proposed and approved for realization in the south of China. After an intense design phase, the overall concept of the structure of the detector has been finalized, paving the way towards the construction of the several components and subsystems, which will compose it. Meanwhile, the excavation of the site which will host the experiment has been started and is rapidly progressing. The main physics target of JUNO is the determination of the neutrino mass hierarchy, which will be accessible through the measurement of the antineutrino spectrum from two high power nuclear complexes under installation 52 km away from the experimental site. In this talk, after the description of the broad physics capabilities of the experiment, which include in addition to the crucial measure of the neutrino hierarchy the high precision determination of three oscillation parameters, as well as a rich astroparticle program, I will illustrate the technical characteristics of the detector, with particular emphasis on the technological challenges which are being addressed along the path towards its realization.

Speaker: Dr Gioacchino Ranucci (MI)

Slides JUNO-CNNP17-Ranucci-pub.pdf

17:20 Exploring nuclear structure by double charge exchange reactions in Japan

Variety of spin and isospin responses is among the most interesting features in atomic nuclei. For the spin-isospin response, the Gamow-Teller (GT) transition is the simplest within one-phonon excitations, and it has been well studied. In contrast, data on multi-phonon excitations have been scarce. The double GT giant resonance (DGTGR) is the simplest two-phonon excitation mode in spin-isospin excitation, but DGTGRs have not been observed so far. The discovery of the DGTGR is an essential step in extending the research of the spin-isospin responses to multi-phonon space. Another important incentive for studying DGTGRs is its relevance in neutrino physics; the DGT transition is induced by the same transition operator as the double beta decay, i.e. στστ. In general the double beta decay carries a tiny fraction of DGT strength while the majority lies in highly excited states in the DGTGR. An experimental attempt to search for DGTGRs is heavy-ion double charge exchange (HIDCX) reactions, which can induce two-phonon excitations with spin and isospin transfer by two units. Also an exotic system of tetra-neutron was studied by HIDCX reaction [1]. Experimental studies by HIDCX reactions at RCNP Osaka, and RIBF RIKEN will be introduced. [1] K. Kisamori et al., PRL 116, 052501 (2016).

Speaker: Prof. Kentaro Yako (CNS, University of Tokyo)

Slides YakoDCX4_pub.pdf

19:00 → 21:00 Benedictine Monastery tour

Wednesday, 18 October

09:00 → 10:30 Plenary

Convener: Antonio Masiero (PD)

09:00 PRECISION NUCLEAR MASS MEASUREMENTS: PRESENT AND FUTURE FOR NUCLEAR STRUCTURE, ASTROPHYSICS AND NEUTRINO PHYSICS STUDIES

The mass of the nucleus reflects the total energy of this many-body system and thus is a key property for a variety of nuclear structure and fundamental investigations. Penning-trap mass spectrometry has pushed in recent years the limits of sensitivity, resolution and accuracy tremendously. This has not only allowed to access exotic species very far from the valley of beta-stability but also to reach meV/c² uncertainties in mass determination of specific radionuclides. The mass accuracy achieved even for very short-lived species in the ms half-life regime and below allowed, e.g., to probe the shell structures and their evolution toward the neutron dripline or to perform in some regions fine examinations of the mass surface. This includes many exciting results like, for instance, the establishment of a new, prominent shell closure at neutron number N=32, in excellent agreement with theoretical calculations. In addition, with the nowadays achievable accuracy in Penning-trap mass spectrometry on short-lived exotic nuclides, precision fundamental tests can be performed, among them a test of the Standard Model, in particular with regard to the weak interaction and the unitarity of the Cabibbo–Kobayashi–Maskawa quark mixing matrix. Furthermore, accurate mass values of specific nuclides are important for nuclear astrophysics and neutrino physics as well as for the search of physics beyond the Standard Model. In this review, recent trends in the determination of nuclear masses, their impact on nuclear structure, nuclear astrophysics and neutrino physics studies as well as in the development of Penning-trap mass spectrometry will be presented.

Speaker: Prof. Klaus Blaum (Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik)

09:30 New results on solar neutrinos from Borexino

The Borexino experiment is running at the “Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso” in Italy and in May 2017 it has reached the remarkable milestone of 10 years of data taking. The physics sectors on which Borexino has provided fundamental information or is preparing to contribute are the solar neutrino physics, geo-neutrinos, rare process detection and sterile neutrinos. The study of low energy solar neutrinos is the primary goal of the experiment: the direct measurements, already accomplished, of the interaction rates from pp, 7Be, pep, 8B neutrinos put Borexino in the unique situation of being the only experiment able to validate the MSW-LMA oscillation paradigm across the full solar energy range. The present talk is aimed to present the new and more precise results released in 2017 on all the solar neutrino species. These results are based on the full 10 year data sample and, in particular, on the more radiopure phase 2 data, taken after the detector purification campaigns in 2010-11. A new multivariate analysis has been developed to extend the data fitting procedure over a broad energy range and to contemporary extract the different solar neutrino components. The new results will be helpful to validate MSW-LMA paradigm and to explore the upturn energy region where the effect of possible not standard interactions should become more visible. The talk will be concluded highlighting the perspectives for the final stage of the solar program of the experiment, centered on the goal to fully complete the solar spectroscopy with the missing piece of the CNO neutrinos and to exploit the exciting possibility of sterile neutrino oscillations that will be investigated starting from 2018 with the insertion of a 144Ce-Pr anti-neutrino source in a tunnel just below the detector.

Speaker: Dr Sandra Zavatarelli (GE)

Slides CNNP17_zavatarelli.pdf

10:00 Experimental search of neutrinoless double-beta decay in 130Te

130Te is one of the best candidates for the experimental search of neutrinoless double-beta decay. Thanks to its exceptionally large natural isotopic abundance 130Te represents the only isotope for which the  use of isotopic enrichment is practically not indispensable. Furthermore pure tellurium metal can be procured in large amounts and radio-pure crystals of tellurium compounds are commercially available. Different experimental techniques has been envisaged and a number of tellurium based experiments have been proposed and are starting taking data or are in advanced phase of construction.  We will focus on the status of current experiments, the factors characterizing their sensitivity and thier role in the international competition. We will then discuss future prospects and requirements.

Speaker: Oliviero Cremonesi (MIB)

Slides cremonesi_CNNP2017-web.pdf

10:30 → 11:00 Coffee break

11:00 → 12:30 Plenary

Convener: Elena Aprile (Columbia University)

11:00 New results on the Be-8 anomaly

A.J. Krasznahorkay, M. Csatlós, L. Csige, J. Gulyás, M. Hunyadi, I. Kuti, Á. Nagy, B.M. Nyakó, N. Sas, J. Timár, I. Vajda Institute for Nuclear Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, MTA Atomki T.J. Ketel Nikhef National Inst. for Subatomic Physics, Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands A. Krasznahorkay CERN, Geneva, Switzerland Rare nuclear decays are a promising search channel for new hidden particle species with masses near the MeV scale. Recently, we measured the e+e− angular correlation in internal pair creation for the M1 transition depopulating the 18.15 MeV isoscalar 1+ state in 8Be, and observed a peak-like deviation from the predicted IPC [1]. To the best of our knowledge no nuclear physics related description of such deviation can be made [2]. The deviation between the experimental and theoretical angular correlations is significant and can be described by assuming the creation and subsequent decay of a boson with mass: m0c2= 16.70 ± 0. 35(stat) ± 0. 5(sys) MeV. The branching ratio of the e+e− decay of such a boson to the γ decay of the 18.15 MeV level of 8Be is found to be 5. 8x10-6 for the best fit [1]. We have also investigated the similar 17.65 MeV 1+  0+ M1 transition in 8Be, which has isovector character, but no deviation was observed. The data can be explained by a 17 MeV vector gauge boson X that is produced in the decay of the excited state to the ground state, and then decays to e+e− pairs [3]. The X boson would mediate a fifth force with a characteristic range of 12 fm and would have millicharged couplings to up and down quarks and electrons, and a proton coupling that is suppressed relative to neutrons [3]. More recently, Kozarczuk et al., [4] have studied such an interpretation for a light vector boson with axial couplings to quarks. They have performed a detailed ab initio calculation of the relevant nuclear transition matrix elements. They find that such a vector boson can account for the anomaly provided it has a mass of mx ≃ 17 MeV and axial couplings to quarks on the order of 10-5 – 10-4. Relative to vector bosons with exclusively vector couplings to quarks, the axial interpretation provides a natural suppression of vector emission in the isovector 17.65 MeV transition, where no anomaly is seen. In order to clarify the interpretation, recently we reinvestigated the anomaly observed previously by using a new Tandetron accelerator of our Institute. The multi-wire proportional counters were replaced with silicon DSSD detectors, as well as the complete electronics and data acquisition system was changed from CAMAC to VME. We have measured the e+e− angular correlations in internal pair creation for the M1 transitions depopulating the 17.64 MeV and 18.15 MeV 1+ states in 8Be, and observed a definite peak-like deviation from the predicted IPC only for the 18.15 MeV transition. I am going to speak about our most recent results and plans, as well as the possible interpretations of the results. [1] A.J. Krasznahorkay et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 1 16 042501 (2016) [2] ] Xilin Zhang and Gerald A. Miller, arXiv:1703.04588 [3] J. Feng et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 1 17, 071803 (2016) [4] Jonathan Kozaczuk, David E. Morrissey, and S. R. Stroberg, Phys. Rev. D 95, (2017) 115024.

Speaker: Prof. Attila Krasznahorkay (Inst. of Nucl. Res. of the Hung. Acad. of Sci. (ATOMKI), Head, Division of Nuclear Physics)

Slides X-boson3_Krasznahorkay.pdf

11:30 Double Beta Decay Topology with NEMO-3 and SuperNEMO

Neutrinoless double beta decay (0vbb) is the only practical way to understand the neutrino nature (Dirac or Majorana particle) and to observe full lepton number violation required by most beyond the standard model theories. It may also turn out to be the only way to measure the absolute neutrino mass in the laboratory environment. The main goal of the SuperNEMO experiment is to search for 0vbb decay. The unique features of this approach are the ability to study almost any isotope and reconstruction of the full topology of both signal (bb) events and background processes. The latter allows unprecedentedly low backgrounds to be reached and, in the event of a discovery, to produce a “smoking gun” evidence for the process. It may also allow the underlying physics mechanism to be disentangled. Latest results obtained with NEMO-3, the SuperNEMO predecessor, will be presented including non-0vbb results. The physics reach of the SuperNEMO project will be discussed and the status of the commissioning and physics running of its first module, the Demonstrator, will be presented.

Speaker: Prof. Ruben Saakyan (University College London)

Slides Saakyan_SNemo_CNNP17.pdf

12:00 Determination of the neutrino mass by electron capture in 163Holmium

Amand Faessler, Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Tuebingen, Germany. The atomic pair 163Ho and 163Dy seems due to the small Q value of 2.8 (+- 0.08) keV the best case to determine the neutrino mass by electron capture. After electron capture in 163Ho and emission of an electron neutrino the combined atomic and nuclear system is in an excited atomic state of 163Dy. Dy deexcites by X -ray and by Auger electron emission. A bolometer measures the full deexcitation energy. The released energy of the Q-value of the difference of the ground states of 163Ho and 163Dy excites 163Dy and emits a neutrino (and is used for the very small recoil of Holmium, which can be neglected). The maximal excitation energy of Dy corresponds to the minimal energy of the electron neutrino, which is his rest mass. Thus the energy between the upper end of the bolometer spectrum and the Q value is the electron neutrino mass. Till our work1 and also an estimate of the effects of the two-hole states by Robertson2 the bolometer spectrum has been calculated allowing in Dysprosium one-hole excitations only. In ref. three3 we included also two-hole excitations3, which modify the spectrum. We also investigated three-hole states4 and found, that they do not influence the bolometer spectrum appreciably and can be neglected. The neutrino mass must finally be obtained by a simultaneous fit together with the Q value and the properties of the relevant one-, and two-electron hole excitations for the upper end of the spectrum. . Recently a method developed by Intemann and Pollock5 was used by DeRujula and Lusignoli6 for an estimate of the contribution, that by electron capture in Ho electrons escape in the intermediate continuum states in Dy (shake-off). A highly improved method for the description of this shake-off process was developed by us and shows7, that the estimate of shake-off by DeRujula and Lusignoli6, which uses non-relativistic Coulomb wave functions with the same effective screening charge for all electron orbits connected to one specific capture process (to guarantee orthogonality of the electron wave functions), overestimates the shake-off effect by up to two orders of magnitude. We use selfconsistent Dirac-Hartree-Fock wave functions8 for the bound and (in a very good approximation also) for the continuum electron states in Ho and in Dy. The present data of the ECHo collaboration9 (Heidelberg, Mainz, Tuebingen and others), HOLMES (Milano et al.) and NUMECS (LosAlamos et al.) are not yet accurate enough to try to extract a neutrino mass. A very exact measurement in an underground laboratory will be needed to reduce the background near the Q value by about two orders of magnitude. A first step is the measurement of ECHo in the French underground lab of Modane in the Fréjus tunnel. To determine the neutrino mass with an error less than 0.2 eV the Q value and other parameters describing the spectrum near 2.8 keV have to be known with this accuracy. This is not possible from theoretical calculations. To extract the neutrino mass one must adjust to the data simultaneously the Q value, the position, width and strength of the highest one- or two-hole state assuming a Lorentzian shape. These are five parameters to be fitted to the data at the upper end of the spectrum using the theoretical analytic expression for the shape. This is very difficult, but seems possible. If more than one resonance determine the upper end of the spectrum one has three parameters more and the determination of the neutrino mass will be probably impossible this way. But our analysis1,3,4,7 shows, that for 163Dy only one resonance influences the upper end of the spectrum appreciably, which allows probably to extract from improved data the neutrino mass. References: 1. A. Faessler, L. Gastaldo, F. Simkovic, J. Phys. G 42, 015108 (2015) 2. R. G. H. Robertson, Phys. Rev. C91 (2015) 035504.and arXiv: 1411.2906v1 [nucl-th] (11 Nov 2014). 3. A. Faessler, F. Simkovic, Phys. Rev. C91, 045505 (2015); Phys. Scripta 91, 043007 (2016) and arXiv: 1407.6504 [nuclo-th] (2014). 4. A. Faessler, C. Enss, G. Loredana, F. Simkovic, Phys. Rev. C91, 064302 (2015) and arXiv: [nuclo-th] (2015). 5. R. L. Intemann, F. Pollock, Phys. Rev. 157, 41 (1967). 6. A. DeRujula, M. Lusignoli, arXiv 1510.05462v2 and 1601.04990v2 and JHEP 1605, 015 (2016). 7. A. Faessler, F. Simkovic, arXiv: 1611.00325 [nucl-th] 8. F. Salvat, J.M.Fernandez-Varea, W. Williamson, Comp. Phys. Com. 90, 151-168 (1995). A. L. Ankudinov, S. I. Zabinsky, J. J. Rehr, Comp. Phys. Com. 98, 359-364 (1996). I. P. Grant, Adv. Phys. 19, 747 (1970). J. P. Desclaux, Comp. Phys. Com. 9, 31-45 (1975). 9. K. Blaum, A. Doerr, C. E. Duellmann, K. Eberhardt, S. Eliseev, C. Enss, A. Faessler, A. Fleischmann, L. Gastaldo, S. Kempf, M. Krivoruchenko, S. Lahiri, M. Matai, Yu. N. Novikov, P. C. Ranitzsch, F. Simkovic, Z. Scusc, M. Wegner,arXiv 1306.2655v1 [physics.ins-det] (2013), unpublished.

Speaker: Prof. Amand Faessler (University of tuebingen)

Slides Catania-Faessler-2017.pdf

12:30 → 14:30 Lunch

15:00 → 19:00 Excursions or Benedictine Monastery Tour

20:30 → 23:30 Opera at Bellini Theatre

Thursday, 19 October

09:00 → 11:00 Plenary

Convener: Emilio Migneco (LNS)

09:00 3D Modelling of Supernovae: Status and Perspectives

I will review the status of 3D supernova explosion modeling with a focus on neutrino-signal predictions.

Speaker: Prof. Hans-Thomas Janka (Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics)

Slides Janka_Catania-2017.pdf

09:30 Study of 2- states in atomic nuclei and connection with double beta decay

Neutrino nuclear responses for double beta decays (DBDs) are crucial for studies of fundamental properties of neutrinos and neutrino nuclear interactions. Nuclear matrix elements (NMEs) for charged current (CC) Gamow Teller GT(1 + ) and spin dipole SD(2 - ) β ± NMEs and neutral current (NC) M4(4 - ) γ NMEs in medium heavy nuclei are shown by one of the present authors (H.E), J. Suhonen and others to be reduced with respect to quasi-particle (QP), QRPA and MQPM models. They suggest reduction of such CC and NC NMEs due to nucleonic, non-nucleonic τσ correlations and nuclear medium effects. Non- nucleonic and nuclear medium effects around the reduction rate of k = 0.6 may be expressed by using effective g Aeff /g A ~ 0.6. The CC neutrino nuclear responses for DBD nuclei have extensively been studied by high energy- resolution charge exchange reactions (CERs) of ( 3 He,t) at RCNP. It is shown for the first time that the CER SD cross sections are proportional to SD strength (B(SD)), and thus CERs are used to study SD NMEs relevant to neutrino-less DBDs and super nova neutrinos. The RCNP E425 collaboration has measured the SD strengths in near DBD nuclei by means of the high-resolution CER ( 3 He,t) reactions at RCNP. Impact of the reduction of CC and NC NMEs and the CER experiments for GT and SD NMEs on neutrino studies in nuclei is discussed.

Speaker: Prof. Hidetoshi Akimune (Department of Physics, Konan University)

10:00 Neutrino astrophysics and cosmology in connection with nuclear physics

Neutrino astrophysics has brought milestones in our understanding of neutrino properties and of stellar evolution. Neutrinos are still tightly linked to key open questions in astrophysics, including unravelling the mechanisms of the death of massive stars and the site(s) where the heavy elements are made. Neutrino flavor evolution in dense environments, such as core-collapse supernovae and accretion disks around binary neutron star mergers or black holes, is revealing many surprises. In particular neutrino self-interactions render the study of flavor evolution in media a complex many-body problem. In this talk I will highlight the theoretical connection between flavor evolution and atomic nuclei. I will also discuss helicity coherence and non-linear feedback.

Speaker: Dr Cristina Volpe (APC)

Slides Volpe.pdf

10:30 Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering

This talk will discuss neutral-current coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEvNS) experiments using low-threshold detectors and different neutrino sources. I will explore the potential physics reach of these measurements and will survey status of current and future experiments.

Speaker: Prof. Kate Scholberg (Duke University)

Slides cnnp-scholberg.pdf

11:00 → 11:30 Coffee break

11:30 → 13:00 Plenary

Convener: Horst Lenske (Univ. Giessen)

11:30 KM3NeT/ORCA: status and perspectives for measuring the neutrino mass hierarchy and other oscillation parameters (on behalf of the KM3NeT Collaboration)

ORCA (Oscillations Research with Cosmics in the Abyss) is the low-energy branch of KM3NeT, the next-generation underwater Cherenkov neutrino detector currently in construction in the Mediterranean. The ORCA design foresees a dense configuration of KM3NeT detection units, optimised for studying the oscillations of atmospheric neutrinos and primarily aiming at measuring the neutrino mass hierarchy. The multi-PMT optical modules will exploit the excellent optical properties of deep seawater to accurately reconstruct both cascade (mostly electron neutrinos) and track (mostly muon neutrinos) events with a few GeV of energy. This contribution discusses the potential of the ORCA detector both for the determination of the neutrino mass hierarchy and for obtaining new constraints on other key oscillation parameters such as θ_23. New sensitivity studies of exotic oscillation phenomena such as sterile neutrinos and non-standard interactions are also presented, as well as the perspectives for Earth tomography and supernovae detection with ORCA.

Speaker: Dr Veronique Van Elewyck (APC &amp; Université Paris Diderot)

Slides ORCA_CNNP2017_VanElewyck.pdf

12:00 New results from the NUMEN experiment

The physics of neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay has important implications on particle physics, cosmology and fundamental physics. In particular, it is the most promising process to access the average neutrino mass. To determine quantitative information from the possible measurement of the 0νββ decay half-lives, the knowledge of the Nuclear Matrix Elements (NME) involved in the transition is mandatory. The possibility of using heavy-ion induced double charge exchange (DCE) reactions as tools toward the determination of the NME is at the basis of the NUMEN [1] and the NURE (funded by ERC-Starting Grant) projects. The basic points are that the initial and final state wave functions in the two processes are the same and the transition operators are similar, including in both cases a superposition of Fermi, Gamow-Teller and rank-two tensor components. The availability of the MAGNEX spectrometer [2] for high resolution measurements of the very suppressed DCE reactions is essential to obtain high resolution energy spectra and accurate cross sections at very forward angles. The concurrent measurement of the other relevant reaction channels allows to isolate the direct DCE mechanism from the competing multinucleon transfer processes. In this context, an experimental campaign has started at the INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Sud in Catania, using the MAGNEX spectrometer, focused on DCE reactions involving the nuclei of interest for 0νββ decay. Recent results obtained by the exploration of the (20Ne,20O) DCE reaction, measured for the first time using a 20Ne10+ cyclotron beam at 15 AMeV, on 116Cd and 130Te targets will be discussed. References [1] F.Cappuzzello et al., J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 420 (2013) 012061. [2] F.Cappuzzello et al., Eur. Phys. J. A 52 (2016) 167.

Speaker: Ms Diana Carbone (LNS)

Slides CNNP2017_Carbone_online.pdf

12:30 Oscillations Beyond Three-Neutrino Mixing

I review the experimental indications in favor of short-baseline neutrino oscillations. I discuss their interpretation in the framework of 3+1 neutrino mixing with a sterile neutrino at the eV scale. I present the results of the updated 3+1 global fit including the recent MINOS, IceCube and NEOS data. I discuss the implications for future neutrino oscillations and neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments.

Speaker: Dr Carlo Giunti (TO)

Slides giunti-171019-cnnp2017.pdf

13:00 → 14:30 Lunch

14:30 → 16:10 Parallel

Convener: Ricardo Broglia (MI)

14:30 Neutrinos Physics at ORNL and PROSPECT Experiment Status

Neutrino physics has entered an era of precision measurements, revealing gaps in our knowledge of the fundamental nuclear data-underlying reactor modeling codes and, potentially, the quantum mechanical behavior of reactor antineutrino emissions. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has two powerful neutrino sources providing unique opportunities for basic and applied research. Firstly, the 85MW High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at ORNL is an intense source of low energy electron antineutrinos. HFIR burns highly-enriched uranium fuel, meaning that >99% of antineutrinos emitted by the compact core derive from 235U fissions. Secondly, the high-quality pion-decay-at-rest neutrino source at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) provides an intense flux of neutrinos in the few tens-of-MeV range, with a sharply-pulsed timing structure that is beneficial for background rejection. I will review some of the current activities taking place at ORNL including The Precision Oscillation and Spectrum Experiment, or PROSPECT under construction which is soon to be deployed at HFIR.

Speaker: Dr Alfredo Galindo-Uribarri (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)

Slides AGU_CATANIA_1.pdf

14:50 Probing neutrino mass and mass ordering with supernova neutrinos

In this talk we will present our study on the probe of absolute neutrino masses using the time of flight effects of supernova neutrinos,we will also discuss the sensitivity of neutrino mass ordering via the MSW effects of supernova neutrinos. Taking the future liquid scintillator as an illustration, we will present the quantitative results for the abovementioned topics.

Speaker: Dr Li Yufeng (Institute of High Energy Physics)

Slides SN_catania_CNNP2017_Li.pdf

15:10 Detecting electron neutrinos from solar dark matter annihilation by JUNO

We explore the electron neutrino signals from light dark matter (DM) annihilation in the Sun for the large liquid scintillator detector JUNO. In terms of the spectrum features of three typical DM annihilation channels $\chi \chi \rightarrow \nu \bar{\nu},\tau^+ \tau^-, b \bar{b}$, we take two sets of selection conditions to calculate the expected signals and atmospheric neutrino backgrounds based on the Monte Carlo simulation data. Then the JUNO sensitivities to the spin independent DM-nucleon and spin dependent DM-proton cross sections are presented. It is found that the JUNO projected sensitivities are much better than the current spin dependent direct detection experimental limits for the $\nu \bar{\nu}$ and $\tau^+ \tau^-$ channels. In the spin independent case, the JUNO will give the better sensitivity to the DM-nucleon cross section than the LUX and CDMSlite limits for the $\nu \bar{\nu}$ channel with the DM mass lighter than 6.5 GeV. If the $\nu \bar{\nu}$ or $\tau^+ \tau^-$ channel is dominant, the future JUNO results are very helpful for us to understand the tension between the DAMA annual modulation signal and other direct detection exclusions.

Speaker: Dr Wan-lei Guo (Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Slides DM@CNNP2017_from_W.L._Guo.pdf

15:30 New spectrometer projects for challenging particle-gamma measurements of nuclear reactions

Particle gamma coincidence measurements are an effective tool for the investigation of nuclear reactions in the cases where the particle spectra energy resolution is insufficient to separate nearby excited nuclear states. Two new spectrometer projects are under development, with some challenging technical characteristics in common, one for the investigation of weakly bound nuclear beam reactions at near barrier energies, and the other for the measurement of double charge exchange reactions in the 15-50 MeV per nucleon range, which are analogous to neutrinoless double beta decay, and are an important input to neutrino physics devellopment. The first one is being developed and tested at the Laboratório Aberto de Física Nuclear - LAFN (IFUSP/DFN, Brazil) under a FAPESP grant, and, the other, is going to be built and installed at the Laboratori Nazionali del Sud – LNS (INFN/Catania, Italy), under the NUMEN collaboration. The characteristics of the two projects, as well as their challenging experiments and physics cases will be presented and discussed.

Speaker: Dr Jose Roberto Brandao de Oliveira (Universidade de Sao Paulo)

Slides CNNP2017_Oliveira.pdf

15:50 The nuSTORM experiment

The nuSTORM facility will provide \nu_e and \nu_\mu beams from the decay of low energy muons confined within a storage ring. The instrumentation of the ring, combined with the excellent knowledge of muon decay, will make it possible to determine the neutrino flux at the %-level or better. The neutrino and anti-neutrino event rates are such that the nuSTORM facility serving a suite of near detectors will be able to measure \nu_eN and \nu_\muN cross sections with the %-level precision required to allow the next generation of long-baseline neutrino-oscillation experiments to fulfil their potential. By delivering precise cross section measurements with a pure weak probe nuSTORM may have the potential to make measurements important to understanding the physics of nucleii. The precise knowledge of the initial neutrino flux also makes it possible to deliver uniquely sensitive sterile-neutrino searches. The concept for the nuSTORM facility will be presented together with an evaluation of its performance. The status of the planned consideration of nuSTORM at CERN in the context of the Physics Beyond Colliders workshop will be summarised.

Speaker: Prof. Ken Long (Imperial College London)

Slides 2017-10-19-Long-CNNP.pdf

14:30 → 16:10 Parallel

Convener: Norbert Pietralla (TU Darmstadt)

14:30 Shape Mixing in 0nbb Candidates

The search for neutrino-less double-beta decays is one of the major strives to foster our understanding on the nature of neutrinos. Firstly, the observation of this rare process would identify its fundamental nature as a Majorana particle. Secondly, it would allow to extract a neutrino mass. The latter, however, is only possible via the input of matrix elements from nuclear structure models. Many of the candidate isotopes to search for 0nbb decays are at the verge of changing deformation. In such regions, the phenomenon of shape coexistence - a challenge for many nuclear models - is common, and experiment needs to give constraints on the potential mixing of configurations with different nuclear deformations. A current program to measure the decay behavior of the scissors mode, a magnetic dipole-excited state, should give such constraints on shape mixing. Moreover, isovector parameters of nuclear models, which are difficult to obtain otherwise, such as isovector electro-magnetic charges, can be constrained from data [1,2]. The key technique to investigate the scissors mode is through photo-excitation experiments, which we perform at the S-DALINAC of TU Darmstadt, and at the HIGS facility at TUNL. First results will be presented, as well as complementary plans for experiments to study nuclear structure aspects that impact theoretical descriptions of double-beta decay and neutrino scattering. [1] J. Beller et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 172501 (2013). [2] T. Beck et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 212502 (2017).

Speaker: Prof. Volker Werner (TU Darmstadt)

Slides vw_cnnp2017upl_WERNER.pdf

14:50 First Results from the Majorana Demonstrator

The Majorana Demonstrator is performing a sensitive search for the neutrinoless double-beta decay of 76Ge using an ultra-low background array of enriched HPGe detectors deployed at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, SD. This rare process is generically predicted to occur by large classes of beyond-the-Standard-Model theories, and its observation would indicate that lepton number is not a conserved quantity in nature, with implications for the matter-dominance of the universe. The techniques used for the Majorana Demonstrator include selection and production of materials extremely low in natural radioactivity, choice of detector technology enabling active rejection of background, and graded active and passive shielding, which together provide strong background reduction over previous-generation efforts in 76Ge. First data from the Demonstrator is in-hand, and I will present our initial results on 76Ge double-beta decay, background levels, and other physics targets. I will also discuss the current detector status and plans for future upgrades, as well as our ultimate goal to field a much larger array with even lower background that will be sensitive to Majorana neutrinos with an inverted mass ordering.

Speaker: Dr Jason Detwiler (University of Washington)

Slides 20171019Catania_Majorana_Detwiler.pdf

15:10 Competition between long-range collective and short-range pairing correlations in two-neutron transfer reactions

In the present work the correlation between long-range collective and short-range pairing correlations in the two-neutron transfer reaction 64Ni(18O,16O)66Ni to the ground and the low-lying states is discussed. For the analysis of the experimental data two microscopic models are used: two-step CCBA and the independent coordinates models. The spectroscopic amplitudes are determined by two structure models: the shell model and the IBM. The results are of upmost importance for the study of neutrinoless double beta decays, as potential mechanisms that compete with it.

Speaker: Dr Jesus Lubian Rios (Institute of Physics, Federal Fluminense University)

Slides CNNP2017-lubian.pdf

15:30 The SPES radioactive ion beam facility and search for physics bejond the SM

The search for physics beyond the Standard Model (SM) is presently a major issue. Despite its spectacular success, it is recognized that the SM could be incomplete and could eventually be incorporated into a more fundamental framework. As an example the excess of matter over antimatter in the Universe indicates the presence of baryon-number- violating interactions and most likely of new sources of charge conjugation-parity (CP) violation. The existence of a finite permanent electric dipole moment (EDM) of a particle or an atom would violate time-reversal symmetry (T), and would also imply violation of the combined charge conjugation and parity symmetry (CP) through the CPT theorem [1,2,3]. EDMs are suppressed in the SM of particle physics, lying many orders of magnitude below current experimental sensitivity. Additional sources of CP violation are needed to account for baryo-genesis and many theories beyond the SM, such as supersymmetry [4,5], predict EDMs within experimental reach. Experimental searches for EDMs have so far yielded no results. The most significant limits have been set on the EDM of the neutron [6], the electron [7] and on the 199 Hg atom [8], leading to tight constraints on extensions of the SM [5]. Nuclear structure can strongly amplify the sensitivity of nuclear EDM measurements. In particular the occurrence of octupole correlations in nuclei lead to closely spaced parity doublets and considerably larger Schiff moments. Enhancements factor of 10 2 -10 4 have been calculated for nuclei with octupole deformation [11,12] or soft octupole vibrations [13]. Actinides atoms as Ra and Pa are among the best candidate in the search for atomic EDM. These studies are among the objectives of the SPES radioactive ion beam project of INFN. The SPES Radioactive Ion Beam (RIB) facility at INFN-LNL is presently in the construction phase. The aim of the SPES project is to provide high intensity and high-quality beams of neutron- rich nuclei to perform forefront research in nuclear structure, reaction dynamics and interdisciplinary fields like medical, biological and material sciences. SPES is based on an ISOL source with an UCx Direct Target able to sustain a power of 10 kW. The primary proton beam is delivered by a Cyclotron accelerator with an energy of more then 40 MeV and a beam current of 200 μA. Neutron-rich radioactive ions are produced by Uranium fission at an expected fission rate in the target of the order of 10 13 fissions per second. The exotic isotopes are re-accelerated by the ALPI superconducting LINAC at energies of 10A MeV and higher, for masses in the region of A=130 amu, with an expected rate on the secondary target of 10 7 -10 9 pps. The status and the perspectives of the project will be presented together with the related detector developments. [1] I.P. Khriplovich and S.K. Lamoreaux, CP violation without strangeness (Springer, Berlin 1997). [2] P.G.H. Sandars, Contemp. Phys. 42, 97 (2001) [3] M. Pospelov and A. Ritz, Ann. Phys. (N.Y.) 318, 119 (2005) [4] S.M. Barr, Int. J. Mod. Phys. A 8 209 (1993) [5] K.A. Olive et al. Phys. Rev. D 72 075001 (2005) [6] C.A. Backer et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 131801 (2006) [7] B.C. Regan et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 071805 ( 2002) [8] W.C. Griffith et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 101601 (2009) [11] N. Auerbach et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 4316 (1996) [12] V. Spevak, N. Auerbach, V.V. Flambaum, Phys. Rev. C 56, 1357 (1997) [13] V.V. Flambaum and V.G. Zelevinsky Phys. Rev. C 68, 035502 (2003)

Speaker: Dr Giacomo De Angelis (LNL)

Slides SPES-CNNP2017-de_Angelis.pdf

15:50 Neutrinoless double beta decay: the CUPID-0 experiment.

CUPID-0 is the first step of a next generation project based on cryogenic calorimeters equipped with light detectors for particle identification. The Zn82Se crystal array of CUPID0 (~2x1025 0nDBD emitters) is in operation at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso since the beginning of 2017. In this contribution we present the status and the preliminary results of the experiment as well as the perspectives of a next generation project based on this technology.

Speaker: Dr Maura Pavan (MIB)

Slides CNNP_MauraPavan.pdf

16:10 → 16:40 Coffee

16:40 → 18:40 Poster session

16:40 Breakdown of Isobaric Multiplet Mass Equation: Charge-Violating Nuclear Interactions in Nuclear Medium

The Isobaric Multiplet Mass Equation (IMME) is the most fundamental prediction in nuclear physics based on the concept of isospin. However, the IMME does not in itself provide any information on the nature of the charge-violating nuclear interactions. One related long-standing question is the microscopic origin of the Nolen-Schiffer anomaly found in the Coulomb displacement energy of mirror nuclei. We introduce new corrections to the IMME in which the charge-asymmetric and charge-independent components of the nucleonnucleon interaction in nuclear medium are established in the framework of Brueckner theory with the AV18 bare interaction. We derive the correction terms for finite nuclei that naturally enter into the coefficients of the IMME, and systematically analyze their effects in different isobaric multiplets. We confirm that the charge-symmetry breaking component in nuclear medium is responsible for explaining the Nolen-Schiffer anomaly. On the other hand, the IMME was challenged by recent high-precision nuclear mass measurements. The breakdown of the IMME presents a great interest as it is of fundamental importance in nuclear and particle physics. However,its explicit mechanism remains a diffculty for extant theoretical models. Based on the corrected IMME (CIMME), we derive explicitly the terms which break the IMME for the first time. The strong breakdown is found to arise primarily from the CSB component, and the degree of breakdown apparently exhibits a nuclear-structuredependent behavior.

Speaker: Dr Jianmin Dong (Institute of modern physics, CAS)

16:40 Characterization of the microwave multiplexing readout and TESs for HOLMES

A powerful tool to determine the effective electron-neutrino mass is the calorimetric measurement of the energy released in a nuclear beta decay. Performing a precision measurement of the end point of the Electron Capture decay spectrum of 163Ho , HOLMES aims at pushing down the sensitivity on the neutrino mass below 1 eV. In its final configuration HOLMES will deploy an array of 1000 microcalorimeters based on Transition Edge Sensors with gold absorbers in which the 163 Ho will be ion implanted. The best technique to easily readout such a number of detector with a common readout line is the microwave frequency domain readout. Therefore, the TESs are coupled to multiplexed rf-SQUIDS operated in a flux ramp demodulation for linearization purposes. The rf-SQUIDS are then coupled to superconducting quarter wavelength resonators in the GHz range, from which the modulating signal is finally recovering using software defined radio techniques. In the last two years an extensive R&D activity has been carried out in order to maximize the multiplexing factor while preserving the performances of each detector which fulfil the HOLMES requirements ( i.e. an energy resolution of few eV and a time-resolution of a few microseconds). We report here the progress made towards the characterization of the multiplexing system together with the results of the characterization of the HOLMES detectors.

Speaker: Mrs Elena Ferri (MIB)

16:40 Electrons for Neutrinos

Neutrino physics is entering the age of precision measurements. A number of experiments have firmly established the occurrence of neutrino oscillations and determined the corresponding squared mass differences and mixing angles. These measurements have provided unambiguous evidence that neutrinos do have non-vanishing masses. The large θ 13 mixing angle will enable future experiments to search for leptonic CP violation in appearance mode, thus addressing one of the outstanding fundamental problems of particle physics. These searches will involve high precision determinations of the oscillation parameters, which in turn require a deep understanding of neutrino interactions with the atomic nuclei comprising the detectors. In view of the achieved and planned experimental accuracies, the treatment of nuclear effects is indeed regarded as one of the main sources of systematic uncertainty. In this context, a key role is played by the availability of a wealth of electron scattering data and that will be the topic of my poster.

Speaker: Afroditi Papadopoulou (Graduate Student at MIT)

Poster Poster_EINN_Paphos_Cyprus_After_Or.pdf

16:40 FFLO state in asymmetric nuclear matter

In asymmetric nuclear matter, the mismatched Fermi surfaces of neutrons and protons prevent pairing between the two species near the average Fermi surface. We propose an axi-symmetric angle-dependent gap (ADG) state with broken rotational symmetry in reference [1] by considering the angle dependence of the pairing gap in 3SD1 channel, in which the pairing gap is angle-dependent due to the noncentral 3SD1 channel pairing force. We find the angle dependence of the pairing gap can reduce the suppression of the gap by the mismatched Fermi surfaces, especially at high densities and low temperatures. When consider the FFLO state [2,3] with ADG, the superfluid state is nondegenerate for the orientations of the Cooper pair momentum. There are two kinds of locally stable orientations, which correspond to the pair momentum orthogonal and parallel to the symmetry axis of the ADG (the FFLO–ADG–orthogonal state and FFLO–ADG–parallel state) [4], respectively. The FFLO–ADG–orthogonal state is located at small asymmetry, whereas the FFLO–ADG–parallel state is favored for large asymmetry. [1] X-L Shang, and W Zuo, Phys. Rev. C 88 025806 (2013) [2] P. Fulde, and R. A. Ferrell, Phys. Rev. 135, A550 (1964). [3] A. I. Larkin, and Y. N. Ovchinnikov, Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz. 47, 1136 (1964) [Sov. Phys. JETP 20, 762 (1965)]. [4] Xinle Shang, Pei Wang, Peng Yin and Wei Zuo, J. Phys. G: Nucl. Part. Phys. 42 (2015) 055105

Speaker: Dr Xinle Shang (neutron-proton pairing)

16:40 First results of the KM3NeT/ARCA detector

The KM3NeT collaboration started to build a multi-km3 neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean sea. The telescope is composed of two parts: the ARCA (Astroparticle Research with Cosmics in the Abyss) detector searches for high energy neutrino sources in the Universe and it is under construction in the Capo Passero site, Italy, 80 km offshore at a depth of 3500 m; the ORCA (Oscillation Research with Cosmics in the Abyss) detector, for the determination of the mass hierarchy of neutrinos, is located in the Toulon area, France, 40 km offshore at a depth of 2500 m. The basic detection element of the KM3NeT detector is the Digital Optical Module (DOM). The DOM is a pressure resistant glass sphere, containing 31 photo-multipliers tubes. 18 DOMs are arranged in the Detection Unit (DU), a vertical string anchored on the sea floor. The DUs are deployed on the sea bed to form a three-dimensional array of DOMs, optimised to detect Cherenkov light produced by neutrino-induced muons. In this poster, preliminary results obtained with the first two ARCA-DUs are presented. The capability to select and reconstruct atmospheric muons is discussed. The dependence of the muon flux with the sea depth is derived, showing that the detector is well calibrated and the systematics are kept under control.

Speaker: Giovanna Ferrara (LNS)

16:40 Focal Plane Detector Tracker with Optical Read-Out for the NUMEN experiment

The preliminary study of a solution for the optical detection and tracking of ions in the NUMEN FPD is presented. Detailed Geant4 simulation of the light generated by the ions traversing a scintillation high pressure gas are correlated to the geometry and read-out strategy of a full optical tracker. Arrays of SiPM, suitably arranged around the tracks, perform imaging of the track allowing high event rate and higher gas pressure. This last, in turn, allows the measurement of the energy deposited in the gas by the ions. This simulation platform will help to define all the parameter of the detector and will be the basis for the design and comparison of data to simulations.

Speaker: Giuseppe Gallo (LNS)

Poster PosterCNNP2017_GalloGiuseppe_v2.pdf

16:40 Light yield studies for SoLid phase I

The SoLid experiment is investigating the existence of sterile neutrinos by looking for a deficit of antiνe from a nuclear reactor at Mol in Belgium. It searches inverse beta decays events (a positron and a neutron in delayed coincidence) with a finely segmented detector made of thousands of scintillating cubes with a dimension of 5 cm. SoLid has a very innovative hybrid technology with 2 different scintillators to detect the positron and the neutron. The cubes are made of Polyvynil-Toluene (PVT) to detect the positrons and 6LiF:ZnS sheets are put on some faces of each PVT cube to detect the neutrons. It allows us to perform an efficient pulse shape analysis to identify the signals from neutrons and positrons. The cubes and the ZnS sheets are wrapped in Tyvek and the scintillation signals are brought by wavelength shifting fibers to MPPCs. The first module SM1 (288 kg) has been built in 2014 and has demonstrated the detection principle. SoLid phase 1 is under construction and will consist of several modules (up to 2 t). To get a better neutrino energy resolution for SoLid phase 1, we have been working on increasing the light yield. To study more specifically the positron light yield in the PVT, we have built a test bench at LAL. We use a 207Bi source and an external trigger to look for the 1 MeV peak from conversion electrons of 207Pb deexcitation. We have been able to test the design of the cubes, their wrapping, the type and the number of fibers or the mirrors at the end of the fibers. We have found several improvements for SoLid phase 1 like designing cubes with 4 grooves instead of 2, using a thicker Tyvek wrapping, 4 multi cladding fibers instead of 2 single cladding fibers and aluminised mylar mirrors. With these changes, we should increase the PVT light yield by more than a factor 2 and improve the resolution on the positron energy from 21% for SM1 down to 15% for SoLid phase I. The construction is well advanced and we have now several planes of 16×16 cubes. A robot has been developped to scan the planes with γ sources (207Bi, 22Na) and neutron sources (AmBe). It allows us to perform a complete off site calibration of the planes, inspired by the test bench measurements, before integration at BR2. In this poster we will show the first results of these calibrations.

Speaker: Ms Delphine Boursette (LAL)

16:40 Neutrino-Nucleon Scattering in Proto-Neutron Stars

Recently, much attention has been paid to the equation of state (EOS) of dense nuclear matter to understand the neutron star (NS) thermal evolution. The exploration of NS cooling might clarify some diffcult issues of nuclear physics, such as the cooling mechanism due to the neutrino emission in supernovae and proto-neutron stars. In addition, the time scales over which proto-NS deleptonize and cool down are determined by the neutrino opacity. The main interest of the present investigation is in the neutral-current scattering reactions and charged current absorption, which are both important sources of opacity, i.e. the neutrino mean free path (MFP) in the presence of dense nuclear-matter medium. Despite of the weak interaction, the effects of medium-polarization could be quite relevant. We study such effects on the neutrino MFP in the framework of the induced interaction theory. In the first step the neutral-current neutrino MFP is considered in the region of crossover from the trapped to untrapped proto-NS phase. Since in this region the NS temperature T is expected to drop to less than Tc, the critical value for the onset of nuclear superfluidity, the nuclear polarization function must be extended to the superfluid case.

Speaker: Wenmei Guo (LNS)

16:40 New Beam lines for NUMEN experiments at INFN-LNS

The NUMEN experiment at LNS demands an upgrading of the Superconducting Cyclotron (CS) to deliver beam ion with mass <40 and with power up to 10 kW. To transport the new high power beams it is mandatory to build a new extraction beam line for the CS and to upgrade the existing beam transport lines to reduce the beam losses below 100 W in the accelerator room and in the beam transport areas. Moreover, we plan to build a new FRAgment Ion Separator (FRAISE) to produce radioactive ion beams, but also to perform energy selection of the beam extracted from the cyclotron, to be delivered to the MAGNEX spectrometer with an energy spread below ±0.3÷0.2%. The use of a 10 kW beam needs also the installation of a well shielded beam dump in the MAGNEX room. Also the last part of the beam transport line inside the MAGNEX room needs to be changed to allow the installation of the new beam dump. The layout and description of all these changes are presented.

Speaker: Antonio Domenico Russo (LNS)

16:40 NEWSdm: NUCLEAR EMULSIONS FOR WIMP SEARCH directional measurement

Direct dark matter searches are promising techniques to identify the nature of dark matter particles. A variety of experiments have been developed over the past decades, aiming at detecting Weakly Interactive Massive Particles (WIMPs) via their scattering in a detector medium. Exploiting directionality would give a proof of the galactic origin of dark matter making it possible to provide a clear and unambiguous signal to background separation. In particular, the directionality appears as the only way to overcome the neutrino background that is expected to finally prevent standard techniques to further lower cross-section limits. The directional detection of Dark Matter requires very sensitive experiment combined with highly performing technology. The NEWSdm experiment, based on nuclear emulsions, is proposed to measure the direction of WIMP-induced nuclear recoils and it is expected to produce a prototype in 2017. We discuss the discovery potential of a directional experiment based on the use of a solid target made by newly developed nuclear emulsions and read-out systems reaching sub-micrometric resolution.

Speaker: Natalia Di Marco (LNGS)

Slides CNNP2017_NEWSdm_poster.pdf

16:40 Overview on the Study and Design of the target for the NUMEN Experiment

Since the discovery of the neutrino oscillations, which imply non-zero neutrino mass, neutrino physics and the study of the neutrino-less double beta decay (0νββ) have received ever growing interest. Several experiments are currently trying to detect the 0νββ event and to measure the half-life, which is inversely proportional to the squared neutrino effective mass. The NUMEN project aims to get more information on the transition matrix of a 0νββ event by measuring the cross section of the Double Charge Exchange (DCE) process. Albeit different, the two processes share the initial and final states of the two nuclei involved; acquiring information on the far more probable DCE could significantly help the 0νββ research. A DCE event is nonetheless rare, so that a high beam current of about 50 µA is needed to obtain sufficient statistics. On the other hand, to keep a good resolution in the energy measurement, the target cannot exceed few hundreds of nm in thickness. The copious heat generated by the beam in the thin target must be dissipated by a proper cooling apparatus. The first target to be designed was a disk clamped at the boundaries by a cold frame; analytical calculi proved it to be unable to tolerate the heat. Since that was due mainly to the low thermal conductivity of the target materials (Tin, Selenium, Germanium, Tellurium and Cadmium), a substrate of Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite was added. The heat can pass from the target to the substrate through a large area and can be quickly dissipated to the cold frame thanks to the highly conductive graphite. To estimate the performance of the target/substrate system, a MatLab code was written. Numerical calculations are encouraging, showing that every target could be used under an intense ion beam. A great effort was put also in the fabrication of the prototypes for the Sn/graphite target. Tin has been deposited on graphite substrates by thermal evaporation and with different thermal processes. Post deposition annealing proved to be of little effect, while heating up the substrate during the deposition of the material led to very good results, in terms of homogeneity and smoothness of the film. Finally, a preliminary test for the heat dissipation in a Sn/Graphite target was performed. The target was heated with an IR laser (λ=808nm) set at several output powers, then the results were compared with numerical calculations; results were promising for future tests.

Speaker: Mr Federico Pinna (INFN)

16:40 Post-stripper study for the (20Ne,20O) double charge exchange reactions at zero degrees within the NUMEN experiment

A study of different post-stripper materials for the (20Ne,20O)double charge exchange and (20Ne,20F)single charge exchange reactions using the MAGNEX spectrometer at 15 MeV/A is presented. Recently, some experiments have been performed at INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Sud to study the 116Cd(20Ne,20O)116Sn double charge exchange reactions at zero degrees using the MAGNEX spectrometer together with the competing processes. These measurements belongs to the experimental campaign planned in the NUMEN project (NUclear Matrix Elements for Neutrinoless double beta decay). In this kind of experiment with 20Ne10+ beam, it is necessary to take into account the abundance of the beam components characterized by lower charge states (20Ne9+ and 20Ne8+). These lower components have a magnetic rigidity that is similar to the ejectiles of our interest (20F9+ and 20O8+ for single charge exchange and double charge exchange reaction, respectively) and this cause a limitation in the detector tolerable rate. A system of shields before the focal plane detector entrance was placed to stop such undesired background. Together with the shields solution, the use of a good post-stripper material was taken into account in order to minimize the amount of residual 20Ne9+ and20Ne8+ beams downstream of the 116Cd target. A study of different post-stripper materials for the (20Ne,20O) double charge exchange and (20Ne,20F) single charge exchange reactions using the MAGNEX spectrometer at 15 MeV/A is presented.

Speaker: Dr Gianluca Santagati (LNS (for the NUMEN collaboration))

16:40 PROBING BETA DECAY MATRIX ELEMENTS THROUGH HEAVY ION CHARGE EXCHANGE REACTIONS

Neutrinoless double beta decay ($0\nu\beta\beta$) represents one of the key cases to probe Physics beyond the Standard Model. From the half – life of nuclei which may undergo double beta decay it would be possible to extract the neutrino effective mass, if the nuclear matrix elements involved in the process are known with sufficient accuracy. To access information on the latter quantities, it has been proposed to exploit the analogies between double beta decay processes and double charge exchange (DCEX) nuclear reactions, looking in particular at the conditions where the corresponding cross section can be factorized into nuclear reaction and nuclear structure terms. DCEX reactions can be treated as a convolution of two correlated or uncorrelated single charge exchange (SCEX) processes, resembling $0\nu\beta\beta$ and $2\nu\beta\beta$, respectively. Thus it is important to model first SCEX processes, to get a deeper insight into the possibility to factorize the corresponding cross section, so one can gain a better understanding on DCEX cross section factorization. In this contribution, we will mainly discuss DCEX reactions in terms of the convolution of two uncorrelated SCEX processes, which allows one to extract information on $2\nu\beta\beta$ nuclear matrix elements, possibly making a comparison to the results obtained from $2\nu\beta\beta$ events. These theoretical investigations are performed in close synergy with the experimental activity running at INFN-LNS within the NUMEN project.

Speaker: Mrs jessica ilaria bellone (INFN - LNS (for the NUMEN collaboration))

Poster PosterCNNP2017_Bellone.pdf

16:40 Reduction of 10C background for the KamLAND-Zen experiment

KamLAND is the neutrino detector located in Kamioka, Japan. And it can also detect low energy events by using 1 kton pure liquid scintillator contained in a transparent balloon of 13 m in diameter. KamLAND-Zen is neutrinoless double-beta decay experiment by using Xenon of about 400 kg in KamLAND. Used Xenon is isotopically enriched in the 136Xe. In this experiment, Xenon gas is dissolved in liquid scintillator contained in transparent mini-balloon of 3.08 in diameter. KamLAND-Zen published search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in August of 2016. In this paper, obtained a lower limit for the neutrinoless double-beta decay half-life is longer than 1.07 x 10^26 yr at 90% C.L. Corresponded Majorana neutrino mass is 6 - 165 meV. And in this measurement, the dominant background was 10C decay events. 10C are muon spallation products. And 10C couldn’t be remove by muon veto because half-time is long (27.8 s). To reduce 10C background, we use some kinds of analytic method. The most sure method is a triple coincidence tag of a muon, a neutron-capture gamma-ray , and 10C decay. This method is realized by newly introduced dead-time free electronics. In addition to this method, we are under developing a likelihood cut by hadron shower points, and particle identification by pulse shape distributions. In this poster, we introduce these method for reducing 10C background in detail.

Speaker: Mr Shingo Hayashida (RCNS, Tohoku University)

16:40 SiCILIA- Silicon Carbide Detectors for Intense Luminosity Investigations and Applications

SiCILIA is a Call of V national committee of INFN, which aims to develop technologies for the realization of silicon carbide detection systems, whose characteristics make it very promising for next generation nuclear physics experiments at high beam luminosity. The scientific goal of this apparatus is to detect high fluxes (about 10^7 pps/m 2 ) and fluences (about 10^14 ) of heavy-ions in order to determine the cross sections of very rare nuclear phenomena, such as double charge exchange reactions, of impact for determining nuclear matrix elements entering in the expression of the neutrino-less double beta decay half-life (NUMEN project). The main issues for these experiments are the high energy (ΔE/E ~ 1/1000), mass (Δm/m ~ 1/200) and angular resolution (~ 0.1°) required in order to unambiguously select the reaction channels of interest and extract the relevant information from energy spectra and absolute cross section angular distributions. Due to the very low cross sections these features just be guaranteed at fluences which exceed by far those tolerated in state of the art solid state detectors, typically used in present experiment of this kind. Similar constraints come also by other fields of modern and future research in nuclear physics, such as the study of rates of reactions of astrophysical interest in high power (tens of Peta-watt) and high- repetition rate laser-matter interactions. An additional feature of these experiments is the presence of a very strong distortion in the response of traditional active detectors coming from the plasma, that make silicon detectors unusable for that. The Silicon Carbide technology offers today an ideal response to such challenges, since it gives the opportunity to cope the excellent properties of silicon detectors (resolution, efficiency, linearity, compactness) with a much larger radiation hardness (up to five orders of magnitudes for heavy ions), thermal stability and insensitivity to visible light.

Speaker: Grazia Litrico (L)

16:40 Solar neutrino analysis with the Borexino detector

Borexino is a liquid scintillator detector the primary goal of which is measuring the flux of neutrinos coming from the Sun. It is located in the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) in the mountains of Italy at 3800 m water-equivalent depth. Its already unprecedentedly low radioactive background was enhanced even more after extensive purification campaigns in 2010 and 2011, which started Phase II of data taking characterized by higher sensitivity. The main focus of the experiment is on the lower energy region of the solar spectrum. To determine the rates of the background and the pp, 7Be, and pep solar species, multivariate fits were performed on the Borexino energy spectra (using Monte Carlo as well as analytical approaches), the radial and pulse-shape distributions of the events. For the first time the energy range of the fit was extended in order to obtain information about the pp, 7Be, and pep solar neutrinos simultaneously. The highlights of the PhaseII data analysis and updated results on the measurement of solar neutrino fluxes will be summarized in the poster. This poster is presented in the name of the Borexino collaboration.

Speaker: Ms Mariia Redchuk (Forschungszentrum Jülich IKP-2)

Poster 2017-10-10-catania-poster-mariia-redchuk.pdf

16:40 The 116Cd(20Ne,20O) 116Sn reaction at 15 AMeV within the NUMEN project

The knowledge of Nuclear Matrix Elements (NME), that enter in the expression of the half-life of the neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ), is a key aspect for the evaluation of the average neutrino mass from these measurements. Relevant information on the NME can be obtained by measuring the cross sections of double charge exchange nuclear reactions (DCE), since the initial and final state wave functions in the two processes are the same and the transition operators are similar. In order to deeply investigate the HI-DCE reactions involving nuclei of interest for 0νββ decay the NUMEN project [1] has started an experimental campaign at the INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Sud in Catania using the MAGNEX large acceptance magnetic spectrometer [2]. The reactions of interest represent an important experimental challenge since they are characterized by very low cross-sections and require a high energy resolution to distinguish the transitions in the region of the ground state. Both constraints are guaranteed by the use of the MAGNEX spectrometer, a tool with high performance and flexibility. In particular, the (20Ne,20O) DCE reaction was measured for the first time using a 20Ne10+ cyclotron beam at 15 AMeV on a 116 Cd target at forward angles. Energy spectra and absolute cross sections were measured with an energy resolution of about 800 keV, enough to identify the transitions of interest. Moreover, the concurrent measurements of the other reactions channels (two-proton transfer, two- neutron transfer and single charge exchange) were also performed. The status of the data analysis and first experimental results will be presented at the Conference.

Speaker: Salvatore Calabrese (LNS (for the NUMEN collaboration))

16:40 The front-end for the new focal plane detector of the NUMEN experiment

The design of the front-end electronics for the new tracker of the NUMEN Focal Plane Detector is presented. The front-end is based on the VMM chip, developed for ATLAS experiment at CERN. The architecture of the front-end electronics is thought to be modular and scalable to the final dimensions of the detector. The segmented anode board was designed in order to take advantage of the unique performances of the VMM chip, allowing a digital reconstruction of the track at high event rate. This anode board is connected to front-end by mean of flexible printed circuits and does not make use of vacuum connectors. The front-end boards will be placed in air, facilitating in this way the heat dissipation and the connection to the read-out electronics. An innovative anode read-out strategy allows the reduction of the total number of channels to about 2000 and the measurement of the track at different depth in the detector with 500 micron spatial resolution.

Speaker: Daniele Giuseppe Bongiovanni (LNS)

Poster 48781

16:40 The read-out and data transmission for the new focal plane detector of the NUMEN experiment

The main tasks of the read-out electronics for the new NUMEN FPD is the real-time data collection from the front-end boards and the high bandwidth transmission to data acquisition, the remote configuration and the slow control of the front-end electronics and the synchronization of the whole detector. The read-out electronics architecture, thought as modular and expandable to the final size of the detectors, is based on System On Module (SOM). These very versatile devices couple high performance FPGA to powerful processor architecture and allow a graphical approach to the programming and interfacing. The results on the test of the prototypes is presented.

Speaker: Danilo Luigi Bonanno (CT)

Poster poster_CNNP2017_Bonanno.pdf

16:40 Three-body force effect on the properties of neutron-rich nuclear matter

We give a review of our research work on the properties of asymmetric nuclear matter within the framework of the Brueckner theory. We pay special attention to the discussion of the three-body force (TBF) effect and the comparison of our results with the predictions by other ab initio approaches. It is shown that TBF is necessary for reproducing the empirical saturation property of symmetric nuclear matter in nonrelativistic microscopic frameworks. The TBF effect on nuclear symmetry energy is repulsive and it leads to a significant stiffening of the density dependence of symmetry energy at supra-saturation densities. Both the TBF-induced rearrangement effect and the ground state correlation effect are crucial for predicting reliably the single particle properties within the Brueckner framework.

Speaker: Prof. Wei ZUO (Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China)

16:40 Transfer reaction channels for the system 18O + 116Sn under NUMEN project

The current work is a part of the NUMEN project [1] which aims to deduce the nuclear matrix elements (NME) by an innovative technique of measuring the cross section using heavy ions induced Double Charge Exchange (DCE) reactions. In particular DCE are processes characterized by the transfer of two units of the isospin component, leaving the mass number unchanged. Earlier such studies were not possible because of the lack of zero-degree data and the poor yields in the measured energy spectra and angular distributions and importantly due to the very low cross sections involved. The initiative experiment at INFN-LNS for the 40Ca(18O,18Ne)40Ar reaction [2] at 270 MeV proved lucrative in giving the quantitative information about NME. The pivotal facet of the project is the use of the MAGNEX large acceptance magnetic spectrometer [3], for the detection of the ejectiles, and of the LNS K800 Superconducting Cyclotron (CS), for the acceleration of the required high resolution and low emittance heavy-ion beams, already in operation at INFN Laboratory Nazionali del Sud in Catania (Italy). In the lieu of the [2] experiment which showed that DCE cross sections factorization reasonably holds for the crucial 0+ → 0+ transition and searching the same NME under NUMEN mission, an experiment using 18O beam on medium-mass range target 116Sn at energy 15MeV/A were performed at very forward angles 0º < θlab < 10º. Here in the current work we present the 1n-transfer 116Sn(18O,17O)117Sn, 2n-transfer 116Sn(18O,16O)118Sn and 1p-transfer 116Sn(18O,19F)115In processes at the above mentioned energy for forward angles 4º < θlab < 12º. These correspond to the complete net of transfer reactions for the system 18O + 116Sn, that is important to measure in order to understand the importance of the two-step channels on the direct DCE mechanism. The detailed aspects about the data analysis will be presented in the conference. References: [1] F. Cappuzzello et al., J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 420, 012061 (2013) [2] F. Cappuzzello et al. Eur. Phys. J. A 51, 145 (2015) [3] F. Cappuzzello et al., Eur. Phys. J. A 52, 167 (2016)

Speaker: Nikit Nitin Deshmukh (LNS (for the NUMEN collaboration))

16:40 Two neutron transfer reaction of 64Ni and 66Ni in the microscopic IBM-2

We compute for the first time the spectroscopic amplitude of two neutron transfer reactions using the microscopic interacting boson model two (IBM-2) between 64Ni and 66Ni. Also, we discuss the nuclei at the boundary region (A~60) in which collectivity should start to play a role, but still they can be described with the single-particle degrees of freedom (Shell Model), and how the two neutron transfer reaction can be used to get information of highly debated onset of collectivity.

Speaker: Ruslan Idelfonso Magana Vsevolodovna (G)

Slides Catania2017.pdf

19:30 → 21:30 Social Dinner

Friday, 20 October

09:00 → 11:00 Plenary

Convener: Antonio Insolia (CT)

09:00 Prospects in neutrinoless double beta decay

Observation of neutrinoless double beta decay would be a break through in particle physics, astroparticle physics and cosmology, as it would imply lepton number violation, establish the Majorana character of neutrinos and shed light on the evolution of the early Universe. Current experiments have half-live sensitivities up to several 1025 yr probing part of the parameter space predicted for degenerate neutrino masses.  The next generation experiments aim to scrutinize half-lives up to 1027–1028 years range or effective Majorana mass of O(10 meV), as predicted by neutrino oscillation experiments in case of inverse mass ordering. I will review the latest experimental results and discuss the future projects with their projected experimental performances and sensitivities. Critical parameters as sensitive exposure, backgrounds will be compared amongst future projects and with the experimental state-of-the-art.

Speaker: Prof. Stefan Schönert (TUM)

Slides dbd_schoenert_final.pdf

09:30 Geo-neutrino : experimental status and perspectives

Last year KamLAND collaboration presented preliminary analysis of the data taken after the shutdown of nuclear power plants. In the absence of the background from nuclear reactors the geo-neutrino signal dominates in the observed spectrum, precision of geoneutrino signal measurement approaches 15%. Together with Borexino measurements the new KamLAND data offers an opportunity for the discrimination of the geophysical models of the Earth. The separation of the geo-neutrino signal from mantle is of special interest for geophysicists. The current results of the Borexino and KamLAND will be presented. The perspectives for measurement of geo-neutrino fluxes both on existing and planned detectors (SNO+, JUNO) will be discussed. We will discuss also the nuclear physics inputs relevant for high precision measurement of the geo-neutrino fluxes in the future.

Speaker: Dr Oleg Smirnov (Joint Institute for Nuclear Research)

Slides 2-cnnp2017-O.Smirnov.pdf

10:00 Project 8: Status and Update

The neutrino mass scale is presently unknown but its range is now bounded from above by laboratory measurements of tritium beta decay and from below by oscillation measurements. The Project 8 experiment exploits a new technique designed to allow measurements in this range, potentially allowing us to reach sensitivity down to the inverted hierarchy scale. The technique makes use of cyclotron radiation emitted by electrons from tritium decay in a uniform magnetic field. The viability of the method on a small scale was demonstrated recently using the isotope 83mKr. Project 8 is being developed in a phased approach through systems of increasing size and complexity, with the final goal a large-scale atomic tritium experiment. We will describe the status of the program, and some of the challenges and advances.

Speaker: Prof. Joseph Formaggio (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Slides Formaggio_Catania_2017.pdf

10:30 Theory of neutrino masses and mixing

Status of theory of neutrino mass is outlined. The key issues, which determine the progress in identification of physics behind neutrino masses and mixing, will be reviewed. Those include (i) role of sterile neutrinos, (ii) nature of neutrino mass, (iii) scale of neutrino mass generation  and the electroweak scale, (iv) symmetry behind mixing pattern, (v) grand unification, (vi) neutrino portal to dark sector, (vii) neutrino connections to leptogenesis, dark matter, dark energy, anomalies in particle physics.

Speaker: Prof. Alexei Smirnov (Max-Planck-Institute for Nuclear Physics, Heidelberg)

Slides 4-Smirnov,A_catania17.pdf

11:00 → 11:30 Coffee

11:30 → 13:00 Plenary

Convener: Hiro Ejiri (RCNP Osaka University)

11:30 Low-energy neutrino experiment at Jinping

The Jinping Neutrino Experiment will perform an in-depth research on solar neutrinos, geo-neutrinos and supernova relic neutrinos. This talk will present the general situation of Jinping underground lab and our current efforts on the R&D of the experimental proposal. Also presented is a 1-ton prototype recently placed underground at Jinping laboratory.

Speaker: Zhe Wang (Tsinghua University)

Slides CNNP2017-ZheWang.pdf

12:00 The HALO and HALO-1kT Supernova Detectors

This talk will present the case for lead-based supernova detectors.  Such detectors are robust and economical to build and maintain over long timescales. By instrumenting tonnes of lead with He-3 neutron detectors supernova neutrinos create bursts of neutrons which can be detected with high efficiency. Electron anti-neutrino charged current reactions are Pauli-blocked by the neutron excess in lead. Neutrons from neutral current and electron neutrino charged current excitations provide complimentary sensitivity to water Cherenkov and liquid scintillator-based detectors.  The HALO detector, constructed with 79 tonnes of lead, has been running at SNOLAB since May 2012. HALO-1kT is a proposal for a scaled up detector which would utilize 1000 tonnes of INFN lead from the decommissioned OPERA detector. With increased mass and improved neutron capture efficiency HALO-1kT would provide over a 20-fold increase in event statistics from the next galactic supernova.

Speaker: Dr Clarence Virtue (Laurentian University / SNOLAB)

Slides HALO_HALO-1kT_CNNP.pdf

12:30 The SOX experiment at LNGS for the search of sterile neutrinos

The SOX project is an experiment for the search of sterile neutrinos by means of a power artificial anti-neutrino generator based on Ce-144 The talk will outline the status of the project, which is supposed to begin data taking in spring 2018 Its scientific reach will also be described together with a comparison with other experimental efforts on this field

Speaker: Marco Pallavicini (GE)

Slides CNNP2017-PALLAVICINI.pdf

13:00 → 14:30 Lunch

14:30 → 16:10 Parallel

Convener: Vincenzo Bellini (CT)

14:30 Study Of EoS Dependence of SNe via Relic Supernova Neutrino Spectrum

Energy spectrum of relic supernova neutrinos (RSNs) tells us valuable information about cosmic core-collapsed SNe as neutrino sources and their cosmological evolution. Recent astronomical observations and theoretical studies of SNe give new insights on stellar evolution, which also influence supernova explosion mechanism. RSN energy spectrum is an important tool to investigate interesting consequences of these new findings. We show our results of RSN spectrum [3,4] based on two astronomical problems, the supernova rate [1] and the red supergiant problem [2] . They reveal the signature of nuclear EoS dependence for SNe models. The cosmological galaxy evolution, the star formation history, and metallicity dependence of SNe are all connected each other, and they have an influence on RSN spectrum in terms of how SNe explode. We also discuss these issues.. [1] S. Horiuchi et al., Phys. Rev. D, 79, 0830138 (2009) [2] S. J. Smartt, PASA, 32, 16 (2015) [3] G. J. Mathews et al., ApJ, 790, 115 (2014) [4] J. Hidaka et al., ApJ, 827, 6 (2016)

Speaker: Dr J. Hidaka (Mechanical Engineering Department, Meisei University, 2-1-1 Hodokubo, Hino, Tokyo 191-8506, Japan)

Slides CNNP2017_hidaka_final.pdf

14:50 Upgrade of the ICARUS T600 Time Projection Chamber (on behalf of the ICARUS Collaboration)

The ICARUS T600 detector, with about 500 tons of sensitive mass, is the largest Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LAr TPC) ever realized. In 2013 ICARUS concluded an about 4 years long experiment with the T600 detector at the LNGS underground laboratory, taking data both with the CNGS neutrino beam and cosmic rays. This very successful experiment demonstrated the high spatial and energy resolutions, electron/photon separation and particle identification capabilities (via dE/dx vs range measurements) of the LAr technology. ICARUS Collaboration refurbished the T600 at CERN, in order to move it to FNAL in the framework of the SBN experiment, to serve as far detector in studies on the short baseline neutrino oscillations. A fundamental part of ICARUS is the light collection system, made of 360 Hamamatsu R5912- MOD, 8 in. diameter, PMT’s. This system is dedicated to three tasks: the generation of a light based trigger signal, the identification of the time of occurrence (t 0 ) of each interaction with high temporal precision and the initial identification of event topology for fast event selection purposes. To fulfil its goals a light collection system needs high detection coverage (to be sensitive to energy deposition in LAr down in energy to 100 MeV), high detection granularity (for space resolution purposes), fast time response (~ 1 ns) to allow accurate time tracking of each event in the T600 drift window and to take advantage of the available 2 ns/19 ns bunched beam structure of the Fermilab Booster facility. We tested all the PMT’s before installation in the T600, to verify their compliance with the required functioning specifications. PMT's tests were organized in different CERN areas: tests at warm temperature were carried out in consecutive bunches of 16 samples in a dark room and a dedicated laboratory, whereas cryogenic tests were accomplished using a cryogenic facility which allowed the simultaneous measurement of 10 PMTs in LAr bath, as the producer made only a mechanical check in liquid nitrogen. Measurements included the gain as a function of the power supply, the peak-to- valley ratio, the dark count rate, the linearity of the response as a function of the light intensity and uniformity of the cathode surface. As expected the PMT's show in general an almost constant relative variation of the gain, peak to valley ratio and dark counts from room temperature down to 87K. The achievement of ~1 ns timing resolution requires a PMT timing calibration system to compensate individual channel delays and transit-time drifts. The general approach to the trigger system is the centralization of the basic functionalities into the NI-PXI crate already used during previous ICARUS run at LNGS, with the following requirements: - at least one FPGA will be devoted to time critical processes, as clock generation, handling of beam gates and time-stamping of signals; - one FPGA will be dedicated to manage the PMT signals; - one Real Time controller will handle handshake with DAQ; - one FPGA will be dedicated to manage the signals coming from other equipment of the far detector.

Speaker: Dr Francesco Tortorici (CT)

Slides Upgrade_of_the_ICARUS_T600_Time_Projection_Chamber.pdf

15:10 Status of the R&D for the NUMEN experiment

The objective of the research and development activities, regarding the upgrade of the focal plane detector (FPD) and the γ wall detectors of NUMEN, is the construction of new detectors capable to fulfil the requirements of high event rate, radiation tolerance and data acquisition and transmission bandwidth deriving from the upgrade of the superconducting cyclotron at Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (LNS). The design of the front-end and read-out electronics has been conducted in parallel with that of the new tracker. This new detector together with preliminary results of the test on the prototypes are presented together with the final design of the FPD.

Speaker: Domenico Lo Presti (CT)

Slides CNNP17_NUMEN_Lo_Presti_final.pdf CNNP17_NUMEN_Lo_Presti_final.pptx

15:30 Search for eV Sterile Neutrinos – The Stereo Experiment

In the recent years, major milestones in neutrino physics were accomplished at nuclear reactors: the smallest neutrino mixing angle θ13 was determined with high precision and the emitted antineutrino spectrum was measured at unprecedented resolution. However, two anomalies, the first one related to the absolute flux and the second one to the spectral shape, have yet to be solved. The flux anomaly is known as the Reactor Antineutrino Anomaly and could be caused by the existence of a light sterile neutrino eigenstate participating in the neutrino oscillation phenomenon. Introducing a sterile state implies the presence of a fourth mass eigenstate, while global fits favour oscillation parameters around sin2 2θ = 0.09 and ∆m2 = 1.8 eV2. The Stereo experiment was built to finally solve this puzzle. It is one of the first running experiments built to search for eV sterile neutrinos and takes data since end of 2016 at ILL Grenoble (France). At a short baseline of 10 meters, it measures the antineutrino flux and spectrum emitted by a compact research reactor. The segmentation of the detector in six target cells allows for independent measurements of the neutrino spectrum at multiple baselines. An active-sterile flavour oscillation could be unambiguously detected, as it distorts the spectral shape of each cell’s measurement differently. This talk will give an overview on the Stereo experiment, along with details on the detector design, detection principle and the current status of data analysis.

Speaker: Mr Alessandro Minotti (CEA - Saclay)

Slides TalkSTEREO_CNNP2017.pdf

15:50 Numerical characterization of the ARAPUCA: a new approach for LAr scintillation light detection

The ARAPUCA concept has been proposed as a simple and neat solution for increasing the effective collection area of SiPMs through the shifting and trapping of scintillation light in noble liquids, thus with great potential of improving timing and calorimetry resolution in neutrino and dark matter search experiments using time projection chambers. It is expected to achieve a single photon detection efficiency larger than 1%. The initial design consists of a box made of highly reflective internal surface material and with an acceptance window for photons composed of two shifters and a dichroic filter. The first shifter converts liquid argon scintillation light (~127 nm) to a photon of wavelength smaller than the dichroic cutoff, so the surface is highly transparent to it. When passing through the dichroic filter, it reaches the second shifter which allows the photon to be shifted to the visible region (~450 nm) and be detected by the SiPM nested inside it. When it enters the box, the photon will likely reflect a few times, including on the dichroic filter surface, before being detected. We present a full numerical description of the device using a Monte Carlo framework, including characterization of the acceptance window, models of reflection of different materials, and sensor quantum efficiency, that can now be used to further improve the detection efficiency by comparing different geometries, positions of SiPM and materials. Estimates of simulated efficiencies, number of reflections and acquisition time are presented and compared to analytical calculations. A description and preliminary results from an experimental test with a ARAPUCA prototype made in Brazil (acceptance window area of 9 cm2 and one 36 mm2 SiPM) is also presented. Those are very promising results, giving an efficiency for the detection of scintillation light in liquid argon of ~1.7+-0.1%.

Speaker: Dr Franciole Marinho (UFSCAR)

Slides cnnp_2017_fmarinho.pdf

14:30 → 15:50 Parallel

Convener: Marco Pallavicini (GE)

14:30 A new experimental facility for nuclear structure studies relevant for neutrino physics

Nuclear structure information obtained from transfer reactions can be used to test calculations of nuclear matrix elements, which is a key ingredient in the ultimate search for the effective neutrino mass. There are only a few remaining facilities that combine suitable accelerators and magnetic spectrometers in order to perform these precision, though fairly routine, experiments. It is proposed that the experimental facilities at the Separated Sector Cyclotron facility of iThemba LABS, South Africa, be made available to help extend current studies by investigating pair-transfer (p,t) reactions along isotopic chains. The well-established zero-degree capability of the K600 magnetic spectrometer will be useful in the identification of 0+ states. However, as the original focal plane detector package of the K600 was designed to detect protons in excess of 100 MeV, we aim to instrument the K600 with a new detector system. This is necessary to optimaly observe the lower energy tritons necessary to achieve the proper momentum matching conditions required in (p,t) reactions for 20-30 MeV proton beams.

Speaker: Dr Retief Neveling (iThemba LABS)

Slides CNNP2017-neveling-small.pdf

14:50 Nuclear structure studies relevant to double beta decay of 136Xe

In addition to establishing the Majorana nature of neutrinos, obtaining the absolute neutrino mass scale is now the focus of several large-scale neutrinoless double beta decay experiments. The current challenge in determining the neutrino mass accurately depends of calculation of nuclear matrix elements (NME's) in the select nuclei where these decays can take place. It is well known that the dominating uncertainties in the calculated NME values arise from the model dependence of these calculations. In this talk we will present some recent experimental results using high resolution spectroscopy from 136,138Ba(p,t) and 138Ba(d,a) reactions that will be useful for future NME calculations for the double beta decay of 136Xe --> 136Ba.

Speaker: Ms BERNADETTE REBEIRO (UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA)

Slides Bernadette-CNNP2017.pdf

15:10 Double-Beta Decay with Emission of Single Electron

We study a new mode of the neutrinoless and two-neutrino double-beta decay in which a single electron is emitted from the atom. The other electron is directly produced in one of the available s_1/2 or p_1/2 subshells of the daughter ion. The neutrinoless electron-production mode 0nEPb^-, which would manifest through a monoenergetic peak at the endpoint of the single-electron energy spectrum, is shown to be inaccessible to the future experiments. Contrary, its two-neutrino counterpart 2nEPb^- might have already influenced the single-electron spectra measured, e.g., for the isotope 100Mo in the experiment NEMO 3. We discuss the prospects for detecting these new modes also for 82Se in its forthcoming successor SuperNEMO.

Speaker: Mr Andrej Babic (Czech Technical University in Prague)

Slides Babic_CNNP2017.pdf

15:30 Neutron-proton pairing and double-beta decay nuclear matrix element

Isovector/isoscalar neutron-proton pairing interaction is known to suppress the Fermi/Gamow-Teller nuclear matrix element. This effect of the neutron-proton pairing was known from the quasiparticle random-phase approximation (QRPA) calculation. However, the QRPA breaks down at the phase transition from the normal like-particle superconducting phase to the neutron-proton pair superconducting phase, and its accuracy is questionable if the strength of the attractive neutron-proton pairing interaction gives the situation close to the point of the phase transition. We use the generator coordinate method for calculating the nuclear matrix elements. By including the neutron-proton pairing degrees of freedom in addition to the quadrupole deformation as generator coordinates, we expect accurate description of the initial/final states near or even beyond the point of the phase transition. We discuss the nuclear matrix elements for 76Ge [1]. The GCM with neutron-proton pairing has been also applied to light pf-shell nuclei and it has reproduced the shell model results of the Gamow-Teller nuclear matrix elements [2]. Preliminary results for the nuclear matrix elements for 48Ca double-beta decay and the effect of the neutron-proton pairing there will be also discussed. [1] N. Hinohara and J. Engel, Phys. Rev. C90, 031301(R) (2014). [2] J. Menendez, N. Hinohara, J. Engel, G. Martinez-Pinedo, and T.R. Rodriguez, Phys. Rev. C93, 014305 (2016).

Speaker: Dr Nobuo Hinohara (Center for Computational Sciences, University of Tsukuba)

Slides hinohara.pdf

16:20 → 22:00 Visit to INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Sud and "Award Dinner"

Saturday, 21 October

09:00 → 11:40 Plenary

Convener: Giacomo Cuttone (LNS)

09:30 DAMA/LIBRA results and perspectives

The DAMA/LIBRA set-up (about 250 kg highly radiopure NaI(Tl)) is running at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory of INFN in its phase2. The positive results obtained by the phase 1 exploiting the model independent Dark Matter (DM) annual modulation signature for the presence of DM particles in the galactic halo will be summarized. The data satisfy all the many requirements of the DM annual modulation signature at high confidence level. Several recent analyses on particular scenarios and second order effects will be introduced. Presently DAMA/LIBRA is in data taking in the new configuration with higher quantum efficiency PMTs. Results, implications and experimental perspectives will be addressed.

Speaker: Prof. Rita Bernabei (Univ. e INFN Roma Tor Vergata)

Slides bernabei_CNNP2017_web.pdf

10:00 Novel approaches to the nuclear physics of double beta decay

This talk will be concerned with the nuclear physics, which drives the double-beta decay and here in particular the double-beta decay with no neutrinos. First, some of the issues of the nuclear matrix elements (NMEs) in double-beta decay will be dealt with using charge-exchange reactions. However, the focus will quickly change to charge-exchange reactions to identify higher-order multipoles as they appear in the NMEs for the neutrinoless decay. Some surprises have been unveiled about low-lying spin-dipole excitations, and some of the short-comings of nuclear models describing the low-lying strength will be discussed. I will then turn to precision mass measurement in the context of double-beta decay, where the nucleus 96 Zr will be at its center. By knowing the exact masses of the A=96 mass triplet, the 96 Zr 4-fold uniquely forbidden single-beta decay can provide strong constraints on nuclear models describing neutrinoless double-beta decay, including constraints on the value of the axial-vector coupling constant g A . Finally, I will describe a novel experimental approach to measure partial muon-capture rates in an attempt to get an experimental handle on the quenching of g A in single- and double-beta decay. Central to this are the capture rates to some of the low-lying J  =1 + states in the pf- and sd-shell nuclei 24 Mg, 32 S, and 56 Fe, which are very well-known from (d, 2 He) reactions. The experiment will make use of the upcoming MuSIC / CAGRA facility at the Research Center for Nuclear Physics in Osaka, Japan.

Speaker: Prof. Dieter FREKERS (Univ. Muenster)

Slides FrekersCNNP17.pdf

10:30 Developments and applications of Micro-Pattern Gaseous Detectors (MPGD): a concise review.

A centenary after the discovery of the basic principle of gas amplification, gaseous detectors are still fundamental components at the frontier of present and planned physics experiments. Radiation detection and imaging with gas-avalanche technologies are the first choice whenever the large area coverage with low material budget is required. However, while extensively employed at the LHC, RHIC, and other advanced high energy physics (HEP) experiments and beyond, present gaseous detectors (wire-chambers, drift-tubes, resistive-plate chambers and others) have limitations which may prevent their use in future experiments. Over the past decades, progresses in photo-lithographic technology have enabled the inventions of novel Micro-Pattern Gas Detector (MPGD) concepts: Gaseous Electron Multiplier (GEM), Micromegas and more recently other MPGD schemes, have revolutionized the cell size limits for many gas detector applications. This offers the potential to develop new radiation detectors and imaging devices with unprecedented spatial resolution, high rate capability, large sensitive area, stable high-gain operation and excellent radiation hardness. Originally developed for the HEP, MPGD applications have expanded to nuclear physics, astrophysics, neutrino physics, material science, neutron detection and medical imaging. This talk provides an overview of the state-of-the-art of the MPGD technologies: it presents and discusses operation mechanisms, properties and main applications of the most popular MPGD designs, with a particular focus on charge-particle tracking in the fields of nuclear, neutrino, astro- and rare-event physics.

Speaker: Dr Marco Cortesi (National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (Michigan State University))

Slides cortesi.pdf

11:00 Structure of proton-rich nuclei via mirror beta decay and charge exchange reactions

Decay spectroscopy is a powerful tool to explore nuclei at the proton drip-line since the beta decay has a direct access to the absolute values of the Fermi B(F) and Gamow-Teller B(GT) transition strengths. Charge Exchange (CE) reactions such as (p,n) or (3He,t) are the mirror strong interaction process and provide information on the relative B(GT) values without energy restrictions. Hence beta decay and CE studies are complementary tools. Their combined analysis allows us the investigation of fundamental questions related to the role of the isospin in atomic nuclei, such as isospin symmetry in mirror nuclei [1,2]. The beta decay of the proton-rich, Tz = -2 nuclei 56Zn [3], 48Fe and 52Ni [4], and of the odd-odd, Tz = -1 nucleus 52Co [5] has been studied in an experiment performed at GANIL. New interesting results will be presented going from the first observation of a new decay mode, the exotic beta-delayed gamma-proton decay seen in 56Zn [3], to the first observation of the 2+ isomer in 52Co [5]. In all cases partial decay schemes have been determined, with absolute B(F) and B(GT) strengths. The results for the Tz = -2 nuclei [4] are compared with those obtained by complementary (3He,t) CE reactions carried out on the mirror stable targets at RCNP Osaka. [1] Y. Fujita et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 212501 (2005). [2] Y. Fujita, B. Rubio, W. Gelletly, Prog. Part. Nucl. Phys. 66, 549 (2011). [3] S.E.A Orrigo et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 222501 (2014). [4] S.E.A Orrigo et al., Phys. Rev. C 93, 044336 (2016). [5] S.E.A Orrigo et al., Phys. Rev. C 94, 044315 (2016).

Speaker: Dr Sonja Orrigo (IFIC-CSIC Valencia, Spain)

Slides Orrigo_CNNP.pdf

11:30 Conclusions and announcement of CNNP next edition

12:00 → 13:30 Lunch

15:00 → 16:00 Benedictine Monastery Tour