Search for Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay with The EXO-200 Experiment

对中微子双β衰变的观测将对基础核物理和粒子物理产生深远的影响。它将证实中微子质量确实是一种非标准模型现象，为大统一物理学打开了一扇窗，并约束了中微子质谱的绝对尺度。相反，如果可以证明无中微子双β衰变在自然界中不发生，轻子数守恒将从偶然对称提升到精确对称，无菌中微子将被证明存在，我们将排除各种各样的新物理模型。EXO（浓缩氙天文台）合作项目已经完成了世界上最大的双β衰变实验——EXO-200探测器的建设和地下安装。这是第一个安装在100公斤规模上的实验，它代表了我们在未来两到三年内在准简并质量区域观察中微子双β衰变的最佳机会之一。该奖项将为马里兰大学继续参与EXO-200提供支持。这种支持在中微子物理领域之外产生了更广泛的影响，主要是通过培训年轻的研究人员实验科学的方法，并通过展示在纯科学和应用科学的其他领域有应用的实验技术和技术。

An observation of neutrinoless double beta decay would have profound implications for fundamental nuclear and particle physics. It would confirm that neutrino mass is truly a non-standard model phenomenon, open a window on grand unification physics, and constrain the absolute scale of the neutrino mass spectrum. Conversely, if neutrinoless double beta decay can be shown not to occur in nature, lepton-number conservation would be promoted from an accidental symmetry to an exact symmetry, sterile neutrinos would be proven to exist, and we would rule out a wide variety of new physics models. The EXO (Enriched Xenon Observatory) collaboration has completed the construction and underground installation of the world's largest double beta decay experiment, the EXO-200 detector. This experiment is the first to be mounted at the 100 kg scale, and it represents one of our best opportunities to observe neutrinoless double beta decay in the quasi-degenerate mass region in the next two to three years. This award will provide support to continue the University of Maryland's involvement in EXO-200. This support has additional broader impacts outside the field of neutrino physics, primarily by training young researchers in the methods of experimental science, and by demonstrating experimental techniques and technologies which have applications in other areas of pure and applied science.