The absolute neutrino mass scale, neutrino mass spectrum, Majorana CP-violation and neutrinoless double-beta decay

Assuming 3-nu mixing, massive Majorana neutrinos and neutrinoless double-beta ((beta beta)(0 nu)-) decay generated only by the (V - A) charged current weak interaction via the exchange of the three Majorana neutrinos, we briefly review the predictions for the effective Majorana mass vertical bar < m >vertical bar in (beta beta)(0 nu)-decay and reanalyze the physics potential of future (beta beta)(0 nu)-decay experiments to provide information on the type of neutrino mass spectrum, the absolute scale of neutrino masses, and Majorana CP-violation in the lepton sector. Using as input the most recent experimental results on neutrino oscillation parameters and the prospective precision that can be achieved in future measurements of the latter, we perform a statistical analysis of a (beta beta)(0 nu)-decay half-life measurement taking into account experimental and theoretical errors, as well as the uncertainty implied by the imprecise knowledge of the corresponding nuclear matrix element (NME). We show, in particular, how the possibility to discriminate between the different types of neutrino mass spectra and the constraints on the absolute neutrino mass scale depend on the mean value and the experimental error of vertical bar < m >vertical bar and on the NME uncertainty. The constraints on Majorana CP-violation phases in the neutrino mixing matrix, which can be obtained from a measurement of vertical bar < m >vertical bar and additional data on the sum of neutrino masses, are also investigated in detail. We estimate the required experimental accuracies on both types of measurements, and the required precision in the NME permitting to address the issue of Majorana CP-violation in the lepton sector. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.