What Is Matter According to Particle Physics, and Why Try to Observe Its Creation in a Lab?
The standard model of elementary interactions has long qualified as a theory of matter, in which the postulated conservation laws (one baryonic and three leptonic) acquire theoretical meaning. However, recent observations of lepton number violations—neutrino oscillations—demonstrate its incompletene...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Universe |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/7/3/61 |
| _version_ | 1797542072917426176 |
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| author | Francesco Vissani |
| author_facet | Francesco Vissani |
| author_sort | Francesco Vissani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The standard model of elementary interactions has long qualified as a theory of matter, in which the postulated conservation laws (one baryonic and three leptonic) acquire theoretical meaning. However, recent observations of lepton number violations—neutrino oscillations—demonstrate its incompleteness. We discuss why these considerations suggest the correctness of Ettore Majorana’s ideas on the nature of neutrino mass and add further interest to the search for an ultra-rare nuclear process in which two particles of matter (electrons) are created, commonly called neutrinoless double beta decay. The approach of the discussion is mainly historical, and its character is introductory. Some technical considerations, which highlight the usefulness of Majorana’s representation of gamma matrices, are presented in the appendix. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:25:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b76eb0735e414304a6f6a04f7b9af841 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2218-1997 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:25:27Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Universe |
| spelling | doaj.art-b76eb0735e414304a6f6a04f7b9af8412023-11-21T09:43:28ZengMDPI AGUniverse2218-19972021-03-01736110.3390/universe7030061What Is Matter According to Particle Physics, and Why Try to Observe Its Creation in a Lab?Francesco Vissani0INFN, Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, 67100 L’Aquila, ItalyThe standard model of elementary interactions has long qualified as a theory of matter, in which the postulated conservation laws (one baryonic and three leptonic) acquire theoretical meaning. However, recent observations of lepton number violations—neutrino oscillations—demonstrate its incompleteness. We discuss why these considerations suggest the correctness of Ettore Majorana’s ideas on the nature of neutrino mass and add further interest to the search for an ultra-rare nuclear process in which two particles of matter (electrons) are created, commonly called neutrinoless double beta decay. The approach of the discussion is mainly historical, and its character is introductory. Some technical considerations, which highlight the usefulness of Majorana’s representation of gamma matrices, are presented in the appendix.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/7/3/61standard model extensionsneutrino massesMajorana neutrinoslepton number violation |
| spellingShingle | Francesco Vissani What Is Matter According to Particle Physics, and Why Try to Observe Its Creation in a Lab? Universe standard model extensions neutrino masses Majorana neutrinos lepton number violation |
| title | What Is Matter According to Particle Physics, and Why Try to Observe Its Creation in a Lab? |
| title_full | What Is Matter According to Particle Physics, and Why Try to Observe Its Creation in a Lab? |
| title_fullStr | What Is Matter According to Particle Physics, and Why Try to Observe Its Creation in a Lab? |
| title_full_unstemmed | What Is Matter According to Particle Physics, and Why Try to Observe Its Creation in a Lab? |
| title_short | What Is Matter According to Particle Physics, and Why Try to Observe Its Creation in a Lab? |
| title_sort | what is matter according to particle physics and why try to observe its creation in a lab |
| topic | standard model extensions neutrino masses Majorana neutrinos lepton number violation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/7/3/61 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT francescovissani whatismatteraccordingtoparticlephysicsandwhytrytoobserveitscreationinalab |