Unraveling Matter’s Origins through the CUORE Experiment
Neutrinos, despite being incredibly light and lacking charge, play a crucial role in the phenomenon called beta decay. Delving into this process could potentially uncover the genesis of matter in the cosmos.
Beta decay is a radioactive decay process wherein a neutron transforms into a proton, emitting an electron and an antineutrino in the process. This decay is fairly widespread, with a banana experiencing approximately a dozen instances per second. An extremely rare variant of beta decay might produce two electrons without releasing any neutrinos.
Scientists across the globe are investigating neutrinoless-double beta decay (NLDBD) in various nuclei in order to unveil the unsolved enigmas of the universe’s matter creation. These decays could also offer valuable insights into the still-unknown mass of neutrinos.
The Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE) facilitates the search for these elusive NLDBD occurrences using distinct nuclei. Researchers employ complementarity among searches utilizing different nuclei to gain a deeper understanding of the inherent physics of the process. In physics, complementarity refers to theories that, despite contrasting with one another, each explain a portion of the same phenomena.
Probing NLDBD with Tellurium-128 in the CUORE Experiment
CUORE has recently conducted a search for NLDBD using Tellurium-128, a nucleus that had not been examined with CUORE before. Despite finding no evidence of NLDBD, the researchers established that the half-life of Tellurium-128 decaying via NLDBD exceeds 3.6 septillion years. This lower limit is approximately 30 times greater than the results obtained in earlier experiments utilizing the same methodology. The current study broadens scientists’ comprehension of these infrequent nuclear decays, with the findings published in Physical Review Letters.
As one of the top experiments investigating extremely rare nuclear events, CUORE requires an exceptionally low-radioactivity setting. This is accomplished by employing highly pure materials and situating the experiment within the Gran Sasso Mountain, which offers protection from cosmic rays. CUORE comprises nearly 1,000 crystals maintained at a temperature nearing absolute zero by a specialized cooling apparatus. The crystals’ temperature is measured 1,000 times per second, recorded, and analyzed to detect minute temperature fluctuations caused by the infrequent decays.
Since its inception in 2017, CUORE has amassed a vast amount of data and is expected to operate for at least two more years. Scientists anticipate improved results in the search for NLDBD processes involving the Tellurium-128 nucleus in the near future. Subsequent generations of experiments hold the potential to solve numerous nuclear and particle physics puzzles through the investigation of these elusive processes.
What do all of these findings mean for humanity and the world of science?
These discoveries and ongoing experiments in the field of neutrino physics, specifically the CUORE experiment, hold significant implications for humanity and the scientific community. By studying rare nuclear decays and searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay (NLDBD) processes, scientists aim to expand our understanding of the fundamental properties of neutrinos, including their mass and the role they play in the universe.
Unraveling the mysteries of neutrinos and NLDBD could shed light on the origin of matter in the universe and provide insights into the asymmetry between matter and antimatter. This, in turn, will enhance our comprehension of the cosmos and the underlying principles governing its formation and evolution.
Furthermore, advancements in this field can lead to potential applications in other areas of science and technology, such as nuclear energy, particle detectors, and materials science. The knowledge gained through experiments like CUORE can inform and inspire future research endeavors, driving scientific progress and fostering a deeper understanding of the fundamental forces and particles that shape our universe.
Deep Dive
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- Alduino, C., et al. (2017). “First Results from CUORE: A Search for Lepton Number Violation via 0νββ Decay of ^{130}Te.” Physical Review Letters, 120(13), 132501. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.132501
- Giuliani, A., & Inzani, L. (2020). “Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay: 2019 Review.” Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics, 111, 103069. DOI: 10.1016/j.ppnp.2019.103069
- Schwingenheuer, B. (2013). “Status and prospects of searches for neutrinoless double beta decay.” Annalen der Physik, 525(4), 269-278. DOI: 10.1002/andp.201200222
- Olivieri, E., et al. (2021). “The CUORE and CUORE-0 experiments: a search for neutrinoless double-beta decay.” Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics, 48(3), 033002. DOI: 10.1088/1361-6471/abcc66
Quotation: https://phys.org/news/2023-04-cuore.html
Original Article: https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.129.222501
