Further Reading — Chapter 32

Textbooks and Reviews

J.D. Walecka, Theoretical Nuclear and Subnuclear Physics, 2nd ed. (World Scientific, 2004), Chapters 42–49. A comprehensive treatment of weak interactions in nuclei, including beta-decay correlations, parity violation in electron scattering, and the Standard Model tests that nuclei provide. More theoretical depth than most nuclear physics textbooks.

K. Heyde, Basic Ideas and Concepts in Nuclear Physics, 3rd ed. (IoP Publishing, 2004), Chapter 14. Covers fundamental interactions tested by nuclear beta decay, including CKM unitarity, parity violation, and the search for exotic currents. Accessible at the advanced undergraduate level.

B.R. Holstein, Weak Interactions in Nuclei (Princeton University Press, 1989). A classic monograph on weak interactions in the nuclear domain. Dated in its experimental coverage but remains an excellent pedagogical reference for the theoretical framework of beta-decay correlations and parity violation.

J. Engel and J. Menendez, "Status and Future of Nuclear Matrix Elements for Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay: A Review," Reports on Progress in Physics 80, 046301 (2017). A thorough and balanced review of the nuclear matrix element problem for $0\nu\beta\beta$, comparing shell model, QRPA, IBM, EDF, and emerging ab initio methods. Essential reading for anyone working on or studying double beta decay.

N. Severijns, M. Beck, and O. Naviliat-Cuncic, "Tests of the Standard Electroweak Model in Nuclear Beta Decay," Reviews of Modern Physics 78, 991 (2006). A comprehensive review of precision beta-decay measurements as tests of the Standard Model, including superallowed Fermi transitions, correlation coefficients, and searches for exotic currents. Updated by many subsequent review articles but still provides excellent background.

J.C. Hardy and I.S. Towner, "Superallowed $0^+ \to 0^+$ Nuclear $\beta$ Decays: 2020 Critical Survey," Physical Review C 102, 045501 (2020). The definitive compilation and analysis of superallowed Fermi decays, with the most up-to-date $\mathcal{F}t$ values, radiative corrections, and $V_{ud}$ extraction. Updated periodically by Hardy and Towner.

Parity Violation and Electroweak Tests

C.S. Wu, E. Ambler, R.W. Hayward, D.D. Hoppes, and R.P. Hudson, "Experimental Test of Parity Conservation in Beta Decay," Physical Review 105, 1413 (1957). The landmark paper that demonstrated parity violation. Concise and clear — the experimental concept, execution, and implications are presented in just a few pages.

D. Androic et al. (Qweak Collaboration), "Precision Measurement of the Weak Charge of the Proton," Nature 557, 207 (2018). The Q-weak result measuring $Q_W^p$ with 4% precision. Includes a clear discussion of how the measurement constrains new physics.

D. Adhikari et al. (PREX Collaboration), "Accurate Determination of the Neutron Skin Thickness of ${}^{208}\text{Pb}$ through Parity-Violation in Electron Scattering," Physical Review Letters 126, 172502 (2021). The PREX-II result for the neutron skin of lead, with implications for the nuclear equation of state and neutron stars.

Electric Dipole Moments

T.E. Chupp, P. Fierlinger, M.J. Ramsey-Musolf, and J.T. Singh, "Electric Dipole Moments of Atoms, Molecules, Nuclei, and Particles," Reviews of Modern Physics 91, 015001 (2019). A comprehensive review of EDM physics — theory, experiment, and connections to BSM physics. The best single reference on the subject.

C. Abel et al. (nEDM Collaboration), "Measurement of the Permanent Electric Dipole Moment of the Neutron," Physical Review Letters 124, 081803 (2020). The current best limit on the neutron EDM from the PSI experiment.

CKM Unitarity

C.-Y. Seng, M. Gorchtein, H.H. Patel, and M.J. Ramsey-Musolf, "Reduced Hadronic Uncertainty in the Determination of $V_{ud}$," Physical Review Letters 121, 241804 (2018). The paper that triggered the current Cabibbo angle anomaly by providing a new evaluation of the inner radiative correction $\Delta_R^V$ using dispersion relations.

CE$\nu$NS

D.Z. Freedman, "Coherent Effects of a Weak Neutral Current," Physical Review D 9, 1389 (1974). The original prediction of CE$\nu$NS. Short and elegant.

D. Akimov et al. (COHERENT Collaboration), "Observation of Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering," Science 357, 1123 (2017). The discovery paper for CE$\nu$NS, one of the landmark measurements in neutrino physics.

M. Cadeddu, C. Giunti, K.A. Kouzakov, Y.F. Li, A.I. Studenikin, and Y.Y. Zhang, "Neutrino Charge Radii from COHERENT Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering," Physical Review D 98, 113010 (2018). An example of the BSM constraints that can be extracted from COHERENT data.

Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay

M.J. Dolinski, A.W.P. Poon, and W. Rodejohann, "Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay: Status and Prospects," Annual Review of Nuclear and Particle Science 69, 219 (2019). An excellent overview of the experimental and theoretical landscape of $0\nu\beta\beta$ searches.

LEGEND Collaboration, "The Large Enriched Germanium Experiment for Neutrinoless $\beta\beta$ Decay: LEGEND-1000 Preconceptual Design Report," arXiv:2107.11462 (2021). The design and physics case for LEGEND-1000.

S.R. Elliott and P. Vogel, "Double Beta Decay," Annual Review of Nuclear and Particle Science 52, 115 (2002). A pedagogical review of the physics of double beta decay, somewhat dated but excellent for the fundamentals.

A. Belley, C.G. Payne, S.R. Stroberg, T. Miyagi, and J.D. Holt, "Ab Initio Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay Matrix Elements for ${}^{48}\text{Ca}$, ${}^{76}\text{Ge}$, and ${}^{82}\text{Se}$," Physical Review Letters 126, 042502 (2021). A landmark ab initio calculation of $0\nu\beta\beta$ NMEs, demonstrating that these methods can now reach the nuclei used in experiments.

Dark Matter Direct Detection

M. Schumann, "Direct Detection of WIMP Dark Matter: Concepts and Status," Journal of Physics G 46, 103003 (2019). A comprehensive review of dark matter direct detection experiments, techniques, and physics reach.

J. Aalbers et al. (LZ Collaboration), "First Dark Matter Search Results from the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) Experiment," Physical Review Letters 131, 041002 (2023). The current world-leading WIMP search limit from LZ.

A.K. Drukier, K. Freese, and D.N. Spergel, "Detecting Cold Dark-Matter Candidates," Physical Review D 33, 3495 (1986). The foundational paper on WIMP direct detection, including the annual modulation signature.

J.D. Lewin and P.F. Smith, "Review of Mathematics, Numerical Factors, and Corrections for Dark Matter Experiments Based on Elastic Nuclear Recoil," Astroparticle Physics 6, 87 (1996). The standard reference for the kinematics and rate calculations used in dark matter experiments. Every experimentalist has this paper on their desk.

Data Resources

Particle Data Group (PDG): https://pdg.lbl.gov/ The authoritative source for particle physics data, including CKM matrix elements, neutrino masses and mixing parameters, and dark matter limits. Updated annually.

National Nuclear Data Center (NNDC): https://www.nndc.bnl.gov/ Nuclear data relevant to double beta decay candidates ($Q$-values, half-lives, nuclear level schemes).

NLDBD (Nuclear-Level Data for $\beta\beta$ Decay): Comprehensive compilation of nuclear matrix element calculations for double beta decay candidates, maintained by the nuclear theory community.