SCHOOL: Multi-Aspect Young-ORiented Advanced Neutrino Academy (MAYORANA) - International School II edition

19 Jun 2025, 08:00 → 25 Jun 2025, 18:30 Europe/Rome

Palazzo Grimaldi (Modica)

Francesco Cappuzzello (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare), Rossella Caruso (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

The main objective of the MAYORANA (Multi-Aspect Young ORiented Advanced Neutrino Academy) School&Workshop is to promote a collaborative framework of  young and senior researchers from the fields of nuclear, particle and astroparticle neutrino physics to discuss theories and experiments in which interdisciplinary aspects are particularly relevant.

The event will be hosted in the wonderful town of Modica (Sicily-Italy) at the historical Palazzo Grimaldi. The Workshop will take place from June 16 to 18, 2025, and the School from June 19 to 25.

The School is addressed to doctoral students, post-doctoral fellows and young researchers from worldwide limited to 50 participants. The School activities will consist of about 40 hours organized in lectures, dedicated sessions through posters and mini-talks presented by the students and face-to-face discussions with the professors. Prizes will be awarded to the best mini-talks and posters. The students are also invited to attend the Workshop gaining the opportunity to know about most advanced studies in the field.

The Workshop will take place just before the School. The aim is to connect researchers from different communities in order to discuss recent results and challenges of modern neutrino physics.

Scientific Topics

• Double beta decay
• Nuclear structure in connection with neutrino physics
• Neutrino nucleus interactions at low and high energy
• Nuclear reactions for weak interactions
• Supernova models and detection of supernovae neutrinos
• Solar models
• Direct and undirect dark matter searches
• Rare beta decay of nuclei for neutrino mass measurement
• Neutrino oscillation and matter effect
• Anomalies in reactor neutrinos
• Ultra high energy astroparticle neutrinos and the multi-messenger scenario
• New related detection technologies
• Artificial intelligence for DAQ and data analysis

 

The MAYORANA School&Workshop is supported by University of Catania, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Fondazione Grimaldi, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare sezione di Catania, Dipartimento di Fisica ed Astronomia "E. Majorana" dell'Università di Catania, Società Italiana di Fisica, European Physical Society, Centro Siciliano di Fisica Nucleare e Struttura della Materia, CAEN, and Cioccolato di Modica IGP.

More information about the School&Workshop are at the following links:

 

 

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First Circular_final.pdf

locandina_MAYORANA_25.pdf

Second_Circular.pdf

Thursday, 19 June

08:00 → 08:30 MAYORANA: Welcome

08:30 → 10:30 Neutrino Oscillations and Matter Effects: F. Vissani

Convener: Francesco Vissani (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

vissani-mayorana.pdf

10:30 → 11:00 Coffee break

11:00 → 13:00 Ultra High Energy Astroparticle Neutrinos: M. Spurio

Convener: Maurizio Spurio (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

2025-Mayorana-Modica-Spurio.pptx

13:00 → 14:30 Lunch break

14:30 → 16:30 Neutrino – Nucleus Interaction across Energy Scales: J. Formaggio

Convener: Joseph Angelo Formaggio

Formaggio Neutrino Sources MAYORANA 2025.pdf

Neutrino Masses MAYORANA School 2025.pdf

16:30 → 17:00 Coffee break

17:00 → 18:00 Poster session

18:00 → 20:00 Modica walk excursion

Friday, 20 June

08:30 → 10:30 Ultra High Energy Astroparticle Neutrinos: M. Spurio

Convener: Maurizio Spurio (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

2025-Mayorana-Modica-Spurio.pptx

10:30 → 11:00 Coffee break

11:00 → 12:00 Neutrino – Nucleus Interaction across Energy Scales: J. Formaggio

Convener: Joseph Angelo Formaggio

Formaggio Neutrino Sources MAYORANA 2025.pdf

Neutrino Masses MAYORANA School 2025.pdf

12:00 → 13:00 Challenges in Modern Neutrino Experiments: Y. Wang

Convener: Yifang Wang (Institute of High Energy Physics)

reactor-neutrinos I-Catania2.pptx

13:00 → 14:30 Lunch break

14:30 → 16:30 Neutrino Oscillations and Matter Effects: F. Vissani: Neutrino Oscillations and Matter Effects: F.Vissani

Convener: Francesco Vissani (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

vissani-mayorana.pdf

16:30 → 17:00 Coffee break

17:00 → 18:45 Mini-talk

17:00 A Novel Liquid Scintillator Setup for Beta-spectrum Measurements

The process of neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) plays a crucial role in nuclear and particle physics. While several feasible candidate isotopes are available and a multitude of experimental efforts are ongoing all over the world, the decay has eluded detection. The half life measured in 0νββ experiments is converted into effective neutrino mass, where one of the main sources of uncertainties is the understanding of nuclear matrix elements. The rate at which this rare decay occurs strongly correlates with the value of the effective weak axial vector coupling strength (gA).

We propose a new small-scale measurement setup using a well proven Liquid Scintillator (LS) technique and supplementing it with gamma-tagging. Such a detection technique has an advantage, measuring the β⁺ decay energy deposition practically without a threshold and in coincidence with the two 511 keV gammas emitted from e⁺e⁻ annihilation. Precise coincidence gating by time and energy will allow for very efficient background suppression. The gamma-tagging can also be applied to gamma-cascades or singular gammas, extending the setup's reach to β⁻ domain as well.

Speaker: Timo Ahola (University of Jyväskylä)

ahola_mayorana_presentation.pdf

17:07 PNS parameters estimation with neutrino emission from supernovae

A novel functional form for fitting neutrino luminosities from
core-collapse supernovae was recently proposed by Lucente et al. (2024),
capturing the effects of convection inside the proto-neutron star (PNS)
through a power-law temporal decay. While this model accurately
describes the cooling phase, it does not account for the neutrino flux
during, approximately, the first second, which is primarily driven by
accretion. To address this, we introduce an additional term that models
the early post-bounce phase in a simple yet effective way. After
validating this extended model against multiple simulation datasets, we
explore its applicability to SN1987A data. This approach allows us to
extract meaningful estimates of the PNS temperature and radius. The
radius is of particular interest, as it is closely linked to
gravitational wave (GW) emission. Improved radius estimates may
therefore enable joint neutrino-GW detection strategies and enhanced
multi-messenger parameter inference.

Speaker: Matteo Ballelli (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

slides_mayorana25_ballelli.pdf

17:15 Probing the unseen: Prospects for sterile neutrino searches using the NINJA detector

Although the standard three-flavor neutrino framework has been firmly established, several experimental anomalies remain that cannot be explained within this model. One possible explanation involves extending the paradigm by introducing a light sterile neutrino - an SU(2) singlet that does not interact via the weak force. While this extension is theoretically well motivated, experimental confirmation is still lacking. The NINJA experiment, designed to measure neutrino-nucleus cross-sections using nuclear emulsion films and a high-intensity neutrino beam from J-PARC, also offers an opportunity to explore new physics beyond the Standard Model. In particular, its short-baseline configuration makes it a promising candidate for investigating sterile neutrino oscillations at the eV-scale. In this poster, I present a sensitivity study of NINJA to sterile neutrino parameters. I examine the impact of different flux configurations, including on-axis and off-axis beams, as well as various exposure scenarios, such as the combination of data from two detector locations. The analysis includes expected event rates and demonstrates how NINJA could contribute to constraining sterile neutrino parameters in future runs.

Speaker: Doris Barčot (Ruđer Bošković Institute)

Probing the unseen: Prospects for sterile neutrino searches using the NINJA detector.pdf

Sterile_NINJA_mayorana.pdf

17:25 FACT - Multi-wavelength and Multi-messenger Studies with the FACT Telescope

The First G-APD Cherenkov Telescope (FACT) is located at an altitude of 2200 meters a.s.l. on the island of La Palma. It was built to monitor bright blazars in the TeV energy range. In addition, FACT carries out follow-up observations of multi-wavelength and multi-messenger alerts. Its camera, which is based on silicon-based photosensors, allows observations during strong moonlight. The operation is automatic and remote, enabling a response to alerts within seconds to minutes. Since observations began in October 2011, 15.000 hours worth of data have been collected, of which about 25 hours were taken during automatic follow-up observations of transient alerts since May 2019.
In total, FACT followed more than 65 multi-wavelength and multi-messenger
alerts, mostly triggered by blazar flares, gamma ray bursts, and high-energy neutrino events. Based on these follow-up observations, multi-band spectral energy distributions, light curves and correlations with multi-wavelength and multi-messenger data are studied. The data provide constraints for emission models and for the attenuation of gamma rays by photon-photon pair production in the low-energy extragalactic background radiation. The poster summarises the multi-wavelength and multi-messenger program of FACT from more than ten years of observations.

Speaker: Katharina Brand (Universität Würzburg)

FACT - Multi-wavelength and Multi-messenger Studies.pdf

17:35 Novel analysis techniques for neutrino and dark-matter experiments with the DIANA framework

Elusive particles like low-energy neutrinos and dark matter candidates require extremely sensitive detectors to be revealed. In experiments probing nuclear recoils, induced by sub-GeV dark matter particles or CE$\nu$NS, a low energy threshold and minimal backgrounds are mandatory. For these purposes, an advanced offline analysis of triggered pulses from the detector stream can make a significant difference.
The DIANA analysis software offers a portable, fast and open-source toolkit for low-energy physics analysis, featuring sophisticated signal processing techniques and utilities for higher level data fitting and analysis.
The software has been recently upgraded with modified versions of the matched filter, a digital filter for the amplitude estimation of a single waveform. Combining signals from different sensors with a multidimensional matched filter, it is possible to lower the detector energy threshold, and an advanced analysis of the signal shape can aid in signal/background discrimination.

Speaker: Matteo Cappelli (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

MiniTalk-MAYORANA-Cappelli.pdf

17:42 Characterization and simulation of the low background GAGG neutron detector

A precise measurement of neutron flux is crucial for underground experi-
ments, as neutrons may cause significant background for rare events searches. Due to the high neutron capture cross-section of the gadolinium isotopes present in cerium-doped Gd$_3$Al$_2$Ga$_3$O$_{12}$ (GAGG) crystal, combined with the high attenuation coefficient for efficient detection of neutron-induced γ rays, the GAGG scintillating crystal has the potential to show a clean signature for detecting neutrons. Furthermore, it features an excellent property of pulse shape discrimination that allows to distinguish signal-like events and backgrounds.
A prototype neutron detector has been assembled using a 100 cm$^3$ GAGG crystal coupled to a photomultiplier tube. It is operated in the Gran Sasso underground laboratory, aiming to detect high energy γ rays as the signal signature. This work presents the detector characterizations, regarding its performance and capabilities for particle identification, as well as intrinsic background. The neutron response measured underground will also be shown. In order to verify and optimize the setup, Monte Carlo simulations are performed, and the preliminary results will be discussed.

Speaker: Yingjie Chu

17:49 Majorana neutrino masses and neutrino-antineutrino oscillations

Speaker: Miriam Chvostálová (Fakulta matematiky, fyziky a informatiky, UK v Bratislave)

minitalk_chvostalova.pdf

17:56 Double Beta Decay in the Context of EMPM and STDA Methods

Double beta decay is a rare nuclear process that provides valuable insight into neutrino properties and possible physics beyond the Standard Model. Accurate nuclear matrix element (NME) calculations are essential for interpreting related experiments. In this work, we describe the Second Tamm-Dancoff Approximation (STDA) and the Equation of Motion Phonon Method (EMPM), focusing on their treatment of nuclear excitations relevant to 2νββ decay.
EMPM and STDA may provide consistent NME predictions but require center-of-mass correction and inclusion of 2p–2h configurations. The quenching of 𝑔𝐴 could be explained if both methods are applied consistently.

Speaker: Daria Denisova (Nuclear Physics Institute in Rez, Czechia)

Denisova_Mayorana.pdf

Denisova_Mayorana.pptx

18:03 Insights into Lithium-Germanium Interface Dynamics in HPGe Detectors: A GEANT4 Study

Speaker: Soni Devi

18:10 CRAB: high-precision calibration for neutrino and dark matter experiments

Over the last few decades, major developments in cryogenic detectors have enabled detection thresholds in the energy range of a few tens of eV and resolutions in the energy range of a few eV, opening up unprecedented prospects in the search for rare events, such as the direct detection of dark matter and coherent elastic neutrino scattering on nuclei. The signal expected from these experiments takes the form of very low-energy nuclear recoil (from hundred eV to a few keV). Several calibration techniques are used to characterize cryo-detectors, but none offers a calibration that mimics the expected signal (a nuclear recoil) in the right energy range. The idea behind CRAB, which stands for Calibrated Recoil for Accurate Bolometry, is to offer an absolute calibration by inducing thermal neutron captures on the detector nuclei. A compound nucleus is then formed, with a known excitation energy - the neutron separation energy Sn - of between 5 and 8 MeV, depending on the isotope. If it deexcites by emitting a single gamma photon, the nucleus recoils with an energy of the order of 100eV, which is also perfectly known. As the detector has a cm-scale size, gamma escape without depositing any energy, and the measured energy in the cryo-detector is then due to nuclear recoils, creating calibration features.

My arrival in the collaboration coincides with the start of phase 2 of CRAB, the high-precision phase (high statistics + low background). For this purpose, the cryostat containing the cryo-detector has been moved to Vienna in Austria to the TRIGA Mk II research reactor (250 kW) to operate a pure thermal neutron beam (25 meV). A crown of BaF2 gamma detectors was installed around the cryostat to detect the gamma in coincidence with the nuclear recoil, to significantly increasing the signal-to-noise ratio.

This poster will present the new setup of CRAB phase 2. We will discuss the first commissioning data leading to the first observation of gamma/nuclear recoil coincidences, the update of 187W nuclear decay scheme, and to an overall good understanding of the setup.

Speaker: Corentin Doutre (CEA)

MAYORANA2025_DOUTRE_MiniTalk.pdf

18:17 Installation of the JUNO-TAO experiment

The Taishan Antineutrino Observatory (JUNO-TAO or TAO) is a satellite experiment of the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO). The experiment is located at 44 m from Unit 1 and 217 m from Unit 2 of Taishan Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). TAO primary objective is to measure the reactor electron antineutrino (𝜈̅ₑ) spectrum with sub-percent energy resolution, providing a model-independent reference spectrum for JUNO's neutrino mass hierarchy determination. Beyond JUNO’s primary goals, TAO will also provide benchmark measurements to test nuclear databases, study spectral shape anomalies, improve isotopic IBD yield estimates, enable reactor monitoring (fuel and status), and probe new physics such as light sterile neutrinos.

This poster focuses on the installation phase of the TAO experiment. A description of the integration and testing of major subsystems is provided, including the central detector, SiPMs and readout electronics, cabling for signal transmission and power supply, and finally veto, shielding and calibration systems. Commissioning is expected to begin in June 2025, with early performance validation and data acquisition preparations already underway, marking the final step toward full detector operation and routine data-taking.

Speaker: Giovanni Ferrante (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

Mini-talk - Installation of the JUNO-TAO experiment.pdf

18:24 The Gallium Anomaly: An Unsolvable Puzzle?

The study of neutrino interactions with matter has provided significant insights into the properties of neutrinos and the dynamics of weak interactions. One particularly intriguing puzzle is the so-called "Gallium Anomaly", observed in the GALLEX, SAGE, and more recently the BEST experiments, which measure the neutrino capture process on gallium,
νₑ + ⁷¹Ga → e⁻ + ⁷¹Ge, historically used for the detection of solar neutrinos.
Surprisingly, the event rate induced by neutrinos on ⁷¹Ga is systematically lower than theoretical predictions, reaching a discrepancy with a significance of 5σ following the results of the BEST experiment. This anomaly has raised questions about the validity of theoretical cross-section calculations and their implications for physics beyond the Standard Model.
One of the main challenges in calculating the cross section lies in estimating the nuclear matrix element that describes the transition between the initial gallium state and the final germanium state. To compute it, one uses the matrix element of the inverse process—namely, electron capture in germanium—whose rate is experimentally measured.
In my work, I used a numerical code to solve the Dirac equation in a central potential in order to obtain the bound-state electron wavefunctions in germanium. The same code consistently computes the Fermi function, which accounts for the distortion of the outgoing electron wavefunction due to the Coulomb field.
This approach allows testing the assumptions underlying the cross-section calculation—such as the shape of the nuclear charge distribution—leading to a more robust determination and thereby contributing to the theoretical description of the process at the heart of the Gallium Anomaly.

Speaker: Luca Ferro (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

Mini-Talk Luca Ferro MAYORANA.pdf

18:45 → 20:10 Chocolate Museum tour

Saturday, 21 June

08:30 → 10:30 Challenges in Modern Neutrino Experiments: Y. Wang

Convener: Yifang Wang (Institute of High Energy Physics)

reactor-neutrinos I-Catania2.pptx

10:30 → 11:00 Coffee break

11:00 → 13:00 Accelerator neutrino beams and precision measurements of the PMNS matrix: F.Terranova

Convener: Francesco Terranova (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

terranova_3rd_lecture_MAYORANA2025.pdf

terranova_MAYORANA2025.pdf

Sunday, 22 June

08:00 → 20:00 Excursion

Monday, 23 June

08:30 → 10:30 Neutrinos in Cosmic and Stellar Evolution and Nucleosynthesis: T.Kajino

Kajino_MAYORANA_2025.pptx

10:30 → 11:00 Coffee break

11:00 → 12:00 Nuclear Double Beta Decays and Lepton Number Violation: V.Cirigliano

MAYORANA-Cirigliano-1.pdf

MAYORANA-Cirigliano-2.pdf

MAYORANA-Cirigliano-3.pdf

12:00 → 13:00 Accelerator neutrino beams and precision measurements of the PMNS matrix: F.Terranova

Convener: Francesco Terranova (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

terranova_3rd_lecture_MAYORANA2025.pdf

terranova_MAYORANA2025.pdf

13:00 → 14:30 Lunch break

14:30 → 16:30 Neutrinos as Probes of the Sun's Core and Earth's Interior: L.Ludhova

Ludhova-School_1.pdf

Ludhova-School_2.pdf

16:30 → 17:00 Coffee break

17:00 → 18:45 Mini-talk

17:00 Energy calibration of bulk events in the BULLKID detector

BULLKID is a cryogenic, solid-state detector designed for direct searches of particle Dark Matter candidates, with mass ≤ 1 GeV/$c^2$, and coherent neutrino-nucleus scattering. It is based on an array of dice carved in 5 mm thick crystals, sensed by phonon mediated Kinetic Inductance Detectors. In previous works, the array was calibrated with bursts of optical photons, which are absorbed in the first micrometer of the dice and behave as surface events. In this work, I present the reconstruction of bulk events through
the X-rays generated by a $^{241}$Am source and by the lead holder of the detector.
The peaks resolution is ∼ 4.5% and their mean are shifted by −10 % with respect to the optical calibration. The resolution is further improved by a factor ∼ 1.9 combining the signal from neighbors dice. These results confirm the performance of the detector in view of the physics goals of the BULLKID-DM experiment.

Speaker: Matteo Folcarelli (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

MiniTalkMAYORANA25_Folcarelli.pdf

17:07 The first neutrino mass measurement of HOLMES experiment

The determination of the absolute neutrino mass scale remains a fundamental open question in particle physics, with profound implications for both the Standard Model and cosmology. The only model-independent method for measuring the neutrino mass relies on the kinematic analysis of beta decay or electron capture (EC) decay, assuming only momentum and energy conservation. Embedding the radioactive source inside the detector ensures that all the energy is measured except the fraction carried away by the neutrino, minimizing the systematic uncertanties. Such calorimetric approach is chosen by the HOLMES experiment.

The HOLMES experiment focuses on the electron capture decay of $^{163}$Ho, which has a low Q-value (2.863 keV) and a relatively short half-life ($T_{1/2} \sim$ 4570 years), making it ideal for high-resolution calorimetric measurements. HOLMES uses an array of ion-implanted transition-edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeters, achieving an average energy resolution of 6 eV FWHM and a time resolution of 1.5 $\mu$s. These superconducting devices operate in the transition between resistive and superconducting states at temperatures around 100 mK. Each TES is coupled to an implanted gold absorber containing $^{163}$Ho. When an interaction occurs, the resulting temperature rise is proportional to the deposited energy. The experiment utilizes a microwave SQUID Multiplexing ($\mu$ MUX) readout system, allowing multiple detectors to be monitored with minimal cabling.

Over two months, we collected $7 \times 10^7$ decay events, setting a Bayesian upper bound on the effective electron neutrino mass of $m_{\beta} < 27$ eV/c$^2$ at 90\% CI. These results validate the feasibility of $^{163}$Ho calorimetry for next-generation neutrino mass experiments and demonstrate the potential of a scalable TES-based microcalorimetric technique to push the sensitivity of direct neutrino mass measurements beyond the current state of the art. The scalability of this approach paves the way for larger arrays with higher single pixel activities thus increasing the recorded statistics and ultimately enabling sub-eV sensitivity in future experiments.

Speaker: Dr Sara Gamba (Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy; Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy)

SaraGamba_Modica_Poster.pdf

SaraGamba_Presentation_Modica.pdf

17:14 PROBING SHORT RANGE CORRELATIONS IN HEAVY-ION DOUBLE CHARGE EXCHANGE REACTIONS

The high momentum transfer encountered in heavy ion Double Charge Exchange (DCE) reactions provides an ideal environment for studying correlation phenomena beyond mean-field in Nuclear Matrix Elements (NMEs). This investigation is of paramount interest for probing the nuclear counterpart of the elusive neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay. Currently, the NMEs for such a decay are embedded in a complex puzzle due to the large uncertainty in their determination [1]. Knowing with high precision the NMEs, the neutrino Majorana mass might be determined, provided the 0νββ lifetimes [2]. In this respect, the NUMEN [3] project aims to study a wide range of heavy-ion induced DCE reactions in order to provide constraints in the calculation of the NMEs [2].
The DCE reaction is mainly fed through three main competitive processes, namely multi-nucleon Transfer Double Charge Exchange (TDCE) [4], the Double Single Charge Exchange (DSCE) [5] and the Majorana Double Charge Exchange (MDCE) [6]. The latter is a meson exchange process mediated by an effective rank-2 isotensor interaction, coming from the off-shell pion-nucleon DCE scattering. It presents a pronounced short-range character, ranging from the dimension of about 1 fm. Microscopic calculations of MDCE-NMEs have been performed, where the pion potentials play the role of the strong interaction counterparts to the 0νββ neutrino potentials. The strong short-range correlations induced by the pion potentials leading to a new type of two-body transition form factors, which are of central importance and highest interest for nuclear spectroscopy.
The multipole structure of pion potentials and NMEs will be discussed, focusing on the importance and features of the pion potentials.

References
[1] M. Agostini et al., Rev. Mod. Phys 95, 025002 (2023).
[2] F. Cappuzzello et al., Prog. Part. Nucl. Phys. 128, 103999 (2023).
[3] F. Cappuzzello et al., EPJ A 54, 72 (2018).
[4] J. L. Ferreira et al., PRC 105, 014630 (2022).
[5] J. I. Bellone et al., Phys. Lett. B 807, 135528 (2020).
[6] H. Lenske et al., Universe 10, 202 (2024).

Speaker: Caterina Garofalo (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

Mini_talk_Caterina_Garofalo.pdf

Poster_Caterina_Garofalo.pdf

17:21 Monitored neutrino beams: ENUBET design and prototype performance

Fundamental neutrino physics experiments at GeV scale struggle with large uncertainties in neutrino interaction cross sections, especially when statistical uncertainty for next generation experiments will no longer be the dominant uncertainty. The nuSCOPE collaboration (previously known with the working name of SBN@CERN), born from merger of ENUBET and NuTag collaborations, is trying to tackle this issue by desinging a beamline which leverages two novel technologies, those of monitored (ENUBET) and tagged (NuTag) neutrino beams. This beamline enables flux monitoring at the percent level and provides neutrino energy measurement independant of final state particle reconstruction at the detector. nuSCOPE collaboration is exploring the potential implementation of such a beamline at CERN. This poster focuses on the work of the ENUBET collaboration and the monitoring of the charged leptons produced in the decay tunnel with the goal of estimating the neutrino flux. An instrumented decay tunnel prototype of ENUBET design was built and its performance tested multiple times using a charged-particle beam at the CERN PS accelerator.

Speaker: Mr Leon Halić

Halic_miniTalk.pdf

MAYORANA_poster.pdf

17:28 The $U(1)_{L_\mu - L_\tau}$ model meets the new $(g-2)_\mu$ data\\ and muon neutrino trident scattering

The Muon $g-2$ collaboration at Fermilab has announced their final result of the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. This result is now in agreement with the latest theoretical prediction to the $1\sigma$ level. This new result further constrains the allowed parameter space, but does not rule out all possible new physics contributions the muon $g-2$. We study the implications for one of the relevant models, the gauged $U(1)_{L_\mu - L_\tau}$. When using this model to resolve the previous $4\sigma$ tension, results from muon neutrino trident (MNT) scattering experiments would restrict the mass of the new gauge boson ($Z'$) to be less than $300$ MeV. Since the theory and experimental data difference for muon $g-2$ is lowered down to $1\sigma$, the requirement for $m_{Z'}\lesssim 300\,{\rm MeV}$ is much relaxed. Within the updated allowed range of $Z'$ boson mass, we study the models implications for electron and tauon $g-2$ as well as future muon colliders. We find that muon collider can effectively probe the $U(1)_{L_\mu - L_\tau}$.

Speaker: Ming-Wei Li (Tsung-Dao Lee Institute)

Z' pre.pdf

Zp_poster.pdf

17:35 Feasibility study for the light injection system of CUPID

Next-generation experiments for neutrinoless double beta decay search (0νββ) employing the bolometric technique plan to exploit the characteristic scintillation yields of particles to achieve particle discrimination, thus reducing their background.

In a bolometer, when a particle interacts within the main absorber, energy is deposited as phonons (i.e. crystal excitations). By measuring their effect with a sensor, the energy can be reconstructed, heat channel. Additionally, if the absorber is also a scintillating crystal, part of the energy escapes as scintillation photons, light channel. The energy ratio deposited along the two channels is characteristic of the interacting particle. Thus, by collecting the emitted photons with an additional absorber, like a germanium wafer, it is possible to evaluate the ratio to then infer about the interacting particle’s nature.

The expected response of a bolometric detector can be obtained by means of an ohmic heater directly glued on the phonon absorber and used to inject a known amount of energy. However, this approach does not provide information about how light is collected and then transduced into a signal, effects that influence the pulse shape. An alternative and more interesting approach involves the emission of light pulses from a laser source directly to the absorbers. However, this opens two fundamental problems: system which the light travels through and the feasibility of an energy calibration relying only on the expected photo-statistics.

The work described in my poster is developed in the framework of the CUPID experiment, where Li$_2$ $^{100}$MoO$_4$ scintillating crystals will face Germanium wafers acting as light absorbers. Both of them will be equipped with Ge-Neutron Transmutation Doped (NTD) thermistors, used for both the heat and light channels. I will elaborate on the current status of the light injection system and on feasibility studies for the photo-statistics performed with a PMT-based system as a substitute for the actual light detector, for which several cross-checks become possible that otherwise would not be accessible.

Speaker: Nicola Manenti (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

Manenti_MiniTalk_Mayorana.pdf

PosterMayorana25_NM_FinalVersion.pdf

17:42 Analysis Chain of MONUMENT

The MONUMENT experiment investigates ordinary muon capture on isotopes relevant for 0$\nu\beta\beta$ decay. Data were collected using two parallel acquisition systems, with this contribution focusing on ALPACA—an in-house developed system with fully offline analysis. The analysis chain comprises energy and time reconstruction, detector calibration, quality cuts, efficiency determination, and time-correlated event reconstruction to extract capture-induced de-excitation signatures. High-purity germanium detectors and photon counters are employed to identify correlated prompt and delayed signals from nuclear de-excitation. Background suppression is achieved through timing cuts and coincidence conditions. This contribution outlines the complete analysis procedure and presents first analysis findings on selected targets.

Speaker: Dr Elizabeth Mondragon (Technical University of Munich)

EMondragon_MAYORANA_mini-talk.pdf

EMondragon_MAYORANA_poster.pdf

17:49 Searching for 123-Te electron capture with CUORE

The electron capture decay of 123-Te to 123-Sb is a second-order unique forbidden decay with a Q-value of 51.9 keV. It provides an excellent means to explore the limits of current theoretical models of electron capture at high daughter nucleus angular momentum and low Q-value. The Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE) is a cryogenic calorimeter experiment located at Gran Sasso National Laboratory which uses natural TeO2 crystals allowing for the investigation of this rare electron capture due to the presence of 123-Te in the crystals. New analysis techniques have enabled the use of approximately 2 years of data with thresholds down to 3 keV for a total TeO2 exposure of 11.4 kg-yr. In this work, I present the first study with CUORE data of both the K- and L-shell captures in 123-Te. I present observations of peaks at 4.69 ± 0.03 keV and 30.6 ± 0.1 keV corresponding to the L1- and K-shell lines of Antimony (Sb). These lines can be produced in Tellurium electron captures and they have been found to have constant signal rates of 19.2 ± 1.0 counts per kg-day and 1.2 ± 0.1 counts per kg-day, respectively, in CUORE data.

Speaker: Maya Moore

MAYORANA2025_MayaMoore.pdf

17:56 Improved description of double beta decay

We present the Taylor expansion formalism for describing the two-neutrino double-beta ($2\nu\beta\beta$) decay. In predicting the $2\nu\beta\beta$ decay spectra, we include the radiative and atomic exchange correction. We also investigate the impact of the electron phase shift on the angular correlation between the emitted electrons. Additionally, we examine the contribution of all s-wave electrons available for capture in the two-neutrino double electron capture ($2\nu$ECEC) processes, going beyond the $K$ and $L_1$ orbitals considered in prior studies. Finally, we propose a semi-empirical formula (SEF) for calculating the nuclear matrix elements (NMEs) for both the $2\nu\beta\beta$ decay and $2\nu$ECEC process. Compared with the previous phenomenological and nuclear models, the SEF yields the best agreement with the experimental NMEs.

Speaker: Dr Ovidiu Nitescu (“Horia Hulubei” National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering; International Centre for Advanced Training and Research in Physics (CIFRA);)

18:03 Toward Precision Physics Test with CEνNS Cryogenic COHERENT CsI detector

The coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEνNS) is a neutral-current weak interaction in which a low-energy neutrino (tens of MeV) scatters off a nucleus, producing a small nuclear recoil that is extremely challenging to detect. Due to the low energies involved, this process was experimentally observed only in 2017 by the COHERENT experiment. Its significance lies in the fact that its cross section is considerably larger than that of other neutrino interactions at similar energies, making it a valuable tool for testing Standard Model parameters and searching for new physics. Moreover, CEνNS is also an important background component in experiments aimed at detecting dark matter.

My poster will present the potential of future COHERENT collaboration detectors using cesium iodide at cryogenic temperatures to constrain key parameters in electroweak physics. We will discuss the level of precision that can be achieved in measuring Standard Model parameters such as the Weinberg angle, the neutron distribution radius of iodine and cesium, and the neutrino charge radius. Furthermore, the prospects of probing new physics scenarios involving exotic neutrino properties and the existence of new mediators predicted by extensions of the Standard Model will also be explored.

Speaker: Riccardo Pavarani (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

Pavarani_Riccardo_MAYORANA25.pdf

18:10 Designing and testing a phonon-mediated Kinetic Inductance Detector with phonon-funneling volume

Experiments searching for light dark matter or coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering need to adopt detectors achieving very low energy thresholds, such as cryogenic phonon detectors. The phonon-mediated detection of silicon particle absorbers has been already proved with Kinetic Inductance Detectors, acting as phonon collectors and sensors at the same time.
We developed a first prototype of KID coupled to a separate structure of phonon absorbers for improving the sensitivity of the detector. This consists of a thin KID trilayer of Aluminium/Titanium/Aluminium coupled to a large Aluminum phonon collecting volume. With this contribution, we would present the studies and simulations we carried out and preliminary results to test the performances of such a new device, compared with those of a standard KID.

Speaker: Leonardo Pesce (Sapienza / Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

MiniTalk_Modica_Pesce_Leonardo.pdf

18:17 The new gas tracker of the MAGNEX spectrometer for high-rate ion detection: an experimental challenge for the NUMEN project

The NUMEN (NUclear Matrix Elements for Neutrinoless double beta decay) project, as well as the NURE (NUclear REactions for neutrinoless double beta decay) project, have recently been proposed at the INFN-LNS laboratory to study Heavy-Ion-induced Double Charge Exchange (HI-DCE) reactions to provide data-driven information on the neutrinoless double beta (0νββ)-decay nuclear matrix elements. Since HI-DCE reactions are characterized by small cross sections (tens of nb), the use of high-intensity beams is a key feature: in this scenario, the ongoing upgrade of the LNS facility will have a crucial role. The experimental challenge the NUMEN project wants to address lies precisely in a substantial upgrade of the MAGNEX facility (installed at INFN-LNS laboratory), requiring a new focal plane detector (a low-pressure gas tracker based on a micropattern gas detector and a telescope array of SiC – CsI(Tl) for particle identification) and a scintillator array of LaBr3(Ce). These new devices must cope with extremely high fluxes of reaction products (up to MHz of ions) and should be sufficiently radiation-hard (up to fluencies of 10^13 ions/cm^2) while guaranteeing the good performance of the previous detection systems (to resolve mass ΔA/A∼1/300, angles Δθ/θ∼0.2° and energy ΔE/E ∼1/1000).
An important phase of stand-alone characterization of these devices is in progress at both INFN-LNS and different laboratories. At INFN-LNS the use of different radioactive sources emitting α particles has allowed the unveiling of important features of the detector response, partially discussed in the present contribution. According to the specifications, the results obtained are promising, but new tests are needed to better understand the behaviour of the devices at high rates and fully integrate them into the spectrometer. In this view, a new test has already been performed at the Tandem facility at the University of São Paulo (Brazil) using well collimated beams (300 μm beam spot size) of medium/heavy ions at different rate.

Speaker: Antonino Pitronaci (Department of Physics & Astronomy "E. Majorana")

Minitalk_MAYORANA.pptx

Poster-MAYORANA.pptx

19:00 → 20:00 Chocolate&Wine tasting

Tuesday, 24 June

08:30 → 09:30 Nuclear Double Beta Decays and Lepton Number Violation: V.Cirigliano

Convener: Vincenzo Cirigliano (Institute for Nuclear Theory, University of Washington)

MAYORANA-Cirigliano-1.pdf

MAYORANA-Cirigliano-2.pdf

MAYORANA-Cirigliano-3.pdf

09:30 → 10:30 Beyond three-neutrino oscillations: sterile neutrinos, NSI, and others: M.Maltoni

Convener: Dr Michele Maltoni (Instituto de Fisica Teorica UAM/CSIC)

09:30 Beyond three-neutrino oscillations: sterile neutrinos, NSI, and others

Speaker: Dr Michele Maltoni (Instituto de Fisica Teorica UAM/CSIC)

lecture-maltoni.pdf

10:30 → 11:00 Coffee break

11:00 → 13:00 Neutrinos as Probes of the Sun's Core and Earth's Interior: L.Ludhova

Ludhova-School_1.pdf

Ludhova-School_2.pdf

13:00 → 14:30 Lunch break

14:30 → 16:30 Neutrinos in Cosmic and Stellar Evolution and Nucleosynthesis: T.Kajino

Kajino_MAYORANA_2025.pptx

16:30 → 17:00 Coffee break

17:00 → 18:30 Mini-talk

17:00 Towards uniform detector response in large-scale KID arrays for Dark Matter searches with BULLKID-DM

Over the last decade, searches for sub-GeV particle Dark Matter (DM) candidates have rapidly advanced. Light Dark Matter particles detection represents a challenge because it requires sensitivity to faint nuclear recoils and thus very low energy threshold ($\mathcal{O}(0.1)$ keV). At the same time, accessing lower cross-section ranges demands high-mass targets. The BULLKID-DM experiment aims to reconcile these requirements by employing a monolithic array consisting of a stack of silicon wafers, carved in dices of
$5.4\times5.4\times5$ mm$^3$, yielding a total mass of $800$ g and over $2000$ dice. Particle interactions within each die generate phonons, which are detected by Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs). However, the calibration of such large amount of single detectors is technically complex since the phase responsivity of each KID depends on the resonators' properties and on the applied readout power. We describe a possible reconstruction algorithm to extract the resonant frequency shift signal $\delta f_0/f_0$ in a manner that it is independent of individual KID charachteristics - such as quality factor and resonant frequency - and has limited dependance on the resonator's bias power.

Speaker: Davide Quaranta (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

Quaranta_MiniTalk_Modica_2025.pptx

17:07 Inelastic neutrino scattering on argon

Low-energy neutrino processes on nuclei are a fundamental tool for studying weak interactions and nuclear structure. The dominant process at these energies is Coherent and Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering (CE$\nu$NS), which was measured on argon in 2020 by the COHERENT collaboration. As well as this, inelastic neutrino interactions on nuclei can also occur, mediated by charged or neutral currents, leading to the excitation of low-energy nuclear states. The study of these processes in argon nuclei is particularly relevant, given the large number of neutrino and dark matter experiments using argon as a target material. However, there are currently no experimental measurements of inelastic neutrino processes on argon, which are difficult to describe even from a theoretical point of view, given the need for a deep understanding of the nuclear structure.

Therefore, I have revisited the calculation of inelastic cross sections for both neutral and charged current interactions, with a focus on estimating the nuclear matrix elements necessary to describe the transitions that occur within the nucleus following a neutrino interaction. To refine these estimates, I considered available measurements on argon mirror nuclei, which are expected to exhibit similar characteristics, and photon scattering measurements on argon.

Improvements in the calculation of cross sections for inelastic neutrino processes on argon are relevant in order to estimate the number of inelastic events expected in experiments such as the future 750 kg argon detector of the COHERENT collaboration and the DarkSide-20k dark matter experiment.

Speaker: Michela Sestu (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

MAYORANA mini-talk - Michela Sestu.pdf

17:14 CUORE Low-Energy Spectrum Sensitivity to Cosmic Axions

Speaker: Anastasiia Shaikina (Gran Sasso Science Institute, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

Shaikina_MAYORANA2025_slides.pdf

17:21 γ decay of IAS in 71Ge: a new pathway to Gallium anomaly

Inverse beta decay (IBD) is a crucial process historically employed to study neutrinos.
For example, discrepancies between measured and expected IBD rates on (^{71}\text{Ga}), the so-called , suggest the possible existence of sterile neutrinos. A recent publication showed that the poorly known associated Nuclear Matrix Element (NME) can be extracted measuring the decay width from the Isobaric Analog State (IAS) in (^{71}\text{Ge}). In this talk, I will present the preliminary results from an experiment carried out in February 2025 at Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, aimed at studying the feasibility of this measurement.

Speaker: Damiano Stramaccioni (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

GalliumAnomaly_MAYORANA_miniTalk.pdf

17:28 In-situ Time Calibration of KM3NeT ARCA

KM3NeT (Kilometre Cube Neutrino Telescope) is the largest underwater observatory worldwide. It is composed of two detectors deployed in two sites of the Mediterranean Sea (ARCA in the Ionian Sea and ORCA in the Ligurian Sea), and it is designed to detect high-energy (> 100 GeV) neutrinos through the Cherenkov radiation. The reconstruction of the neutrino direction relies on the detection of Cherenkov photons emitted by secondary charged particles, and achieving high angular resolution requires nanosecond-level time synchronization between photomultipliers. To meet this goal, the KM3NeT ARCA detector has recently implemented a full White Rabbit (WR)-based system for time synchronization, reaching a ns accuracy in time distribution across the detector components. This work presents the description of implementation of this timing architecture, detailing the on-shore calibration procedures of the White Rabbit system. System performance is further evaluated through an in-situ validation using the laser beacon, a powerful light source deployed on the seafloor that enables independent checks of the timing calibration.. Additionally, the work discusses a new calibration system within the KM3NeT Collaboration to intercalibrate darkrooms, ensuring a common timing reference across all production sites, thus enhancing the consistency and reliability of the detector.

Speaker: Maria Rita Torrisi (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

Mayorana school_Torrisi.pdf

Poster_mayorana school25_Torrisi.pdf

17:35 Studies for the selection of fully contained $\nu_{\mu}$CC events in the ICARUS T600 detector at Fermilab

The ICARUS T600 LAr-TPC detector has started its new physics runs in June 2022 at Fermilab within the SBN program. This detector is recording neutrino interactions from the Booster BNB neutrino beam in order to definitively clarify the open questions related to the possible existence of sterile neutrinos, as suggested by numerous observed experimental anomalies. In addition the neutrinos events recorded from the NuMI off-axis beam are under study in order to perform neutrino-Argon cross section measurements.

At Fermilab, ICARUS is facing a challenging experimental condition: the detector is presently installed essentially at Earth surface where cosmic ray particles can become a serious source of background for the neutrino event search. This condition makes it necessary to deploy suitable automatic tools for the identification, selection, and measurement of the neutrino events among the millions of events triggered by cosmics.

In this contribution, two automatic selection procedures devoted to the identification of fully contained muon neutrino CC interactions in the BNB neutrino beam will be presented, together with the first results of their application on simulated and on recently recorded events in the T600 detector.

Speaker: Enrico Vedovato (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

VedovatoPosterMAYORANA.pdf

VedovatoPresentationMAYORANA.pdf

17:42 Neutrino Quantum Decoherence with Km3Net/ARCA

Speaker: Nadja Lessing (IFIC, UV, CSIC)

Slides_DecoARCA115_MAYORANA_KM3NeT_NLessing.pdf

17:49 Dark Photon Search at the Short-Baseline Near Detector

Speaker: Gaetano Fricano (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

Fricano_Mayorana_minitalk.pdf

17:56 Detecting Coherent elastic scattering of reactor antineutrinos with the NUCLEUS experiment

Speaker: Liliane McCallin (Université Paris-Saclay - CEA)

MAJORANA_McCallin.pdf

19:00 → 23:00 Social Dinner

Wednesday, 25 June

08:30 → 10:30 Beyond three-neutrino oscillations: sterile neutrinos, NSI, and others: M.Maltoni

Convener: Dr Michele Maltoni (Instituto de Fisica Teorica UAM/CSIC)

10:30 → 11:00 Coffee break

11:00 → 13:00 Nuclear Double Beta Decays and Lepton Number Violation: V.Cirigliano

Convener: Vincenzo Cirigliano (Institute for Nuclear Theory, University of Washington)

MAYORANA-Cirigliano-1.pdf

MAYORANA-Cirigliano-2.pdf

MAYORANA-Cirigliano-3.pdf

13:00 → 13:25 MAYORANA: Final remarks

13:25 → 14:55 Lunch break