US-Russian Cooperative Program in Double Beta Decay Studies

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9500727 Avignone The Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics in Moscow (ITEP) recently joined Phase-II of the International Germanium Experiment (IGEX). Their contribution of 9kg of isotopically enriched germanium (86% 76Ge valued at about 15 M$) is being used in detectors to search for neutrinoless double beta decay (physics beyond the standard model). IGEX Phase-II involves the University of South Carolina,k Columbia the Institute for Nuclear Research Moscow, Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory, and the Universities of Minnesota and Zaragoza (Spain). Thus far, 3 small detectors about (0.7 kg) and two large detectors (2.1kg) have been fabricated. They are now operating in the Carfranc tunnel in Spain. Another large detector is in preparation. For a meaningful collaboration, the ITEP participants must be involved in all phases of the experiment at Carfranc. This request is for support for three 3-months working visits for 3 ITEP collaborators per year. Very difficult conditions in Russia make IGEX the major scientific activity for about 10 Russian Physicists. This experiment would have been financially impossible without the generous contributions of INR and ITEP. ***