Experimental challenges and construction status of the NUMEN Project

Pierroutsakou, D.; Acosta, L.; Added, N.; Agodi, C.; Aguiar, V.A.P.; Amador-Valenzuela, P.; Anastasio, A.; Auerbach, N.; Avanzi, L.H.; Ayyad, Y.; Babu, R.; Babu, Y.; Bijker, R.; Boiano, A.; BOZTOSUN, İSMAİL; Brasolin, S.; Brischetto, G.A.; Bussa, M.P.; Calvo, D.; Cappuzzello, F.; Carbone, D.; Cardozo, E.N.; Castro, G.; Cavallaro, M.; Challa, K.; Lomelí, E.R.; Chinaglia, E.F.; Ciraldo, I.; Colonna, M.; Comite, A.; Cortesi, M.; Costa, K.M.; D’Agostino, G.; Dapo, H.; De Benedictis, C.; De Gregorio, G.; Donaldson, L.M.; Dumitrache, F.; Hernandez, A.; Gambacurta, D.; Gandolfo, E.M.; Garcia-Tecocoatzi, H.; Gargano, A.; Garofalo, C.; Giovannini, M.; Gleason, R.; Hacisalihoglu, A.; Ferraresi, C.; Ferreira, J.L.; Izzo, V.; Koulouris, S.; Kucuk, YASEMİN; Khumalo, T.C.; La Fauci, L.; Lay, J.A.; Lenske, H.; Linares, R.; Lombardo, C.; López González, J.M.; Lubian, J.; Marín-Lámbarri, D.J.; Mas-Ruiz, J.; Masunaga, S.H.; Medina, N.H.; Moralles, M.; Neri, L.; Neveling, R.; Nguyen, Thang; Oliveira, J.R.B.; Pakou, A.; Palli, K.; Pandalone, A.; Pandola, L.; Panero, R.; Paterna, M.; Pietralla, N.; Pitronaci, A.; Pellegri, L.; Persiani, R.; Petrascu, H.; Rovelli, A.; Russo, A.D.; Sandoval-Hipólito, S.; Santarelli, T.M.; Santopinto, E.; Santos, R.B.B.; Sartirana, D.; Schervenin, J.V.; Sgouros, O.; Solakci, SELÇUK; Soukeras, V.; Souliotis, G.; Spatafora, A.; Torresi, D.; Urazbekov, B.; Valencia, C.; Valinotto, I.; Vanzanella, A.; Vsevolodovna, R.I.M.; Yildirim, A.; Zagatto, V.A.B.

doi:10.1393/ncc/i2026-26122-4

Experimental challenges and construction status of the NUMEN Project

Pierroutsakou D., Acosta L., Added N., Agodi C., Aguiar V., Amador-Valenzuela P., ...More

Nuovo Cimento della Societa Italiana di Fisica C, vol.49, no.4, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus)

Publication Type: Article / Article
Volume: 49 Issue: 4
Publication Date: 2026
Doi Number: 10.1393/ncc/i2026-26122-4
Journal Name: Nuovo Cimento della Societa Italiana di Fisica C
Journal Indexes: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus
Akdeniz University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The NUMEN (NUclear Matrix Elements for Neutrinoless double beta decay) project at INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Sud aims to investigate the Nuclear Matrix Elements that govern neutrinoless double beta decay. The strategy is based on measuring double charge exchange reactions with intense heavy-ion beams on candidate isotopes. To cope with the extremely low cross sections, the LNS facility has been upgraded to provide beams up to 1013 pps. A new target system and high-performance detectors for the MAGNEX spectrometer are under development, capable of sustaining ion rates of 5×106 Hz and allowing simultaneous γ-ray detection. This work provides a status update on the construction of the NUMEN apparatus, discussing recent progress and key experimental challenges.