If observed, neutrinoless double beta decay would reveal violations of symmetries fundamental to the Standard Model, and would guarantee that neutrinos have nonzero Majorana mass. Relating nuclear decay rates to beyond the Standard Model (BSM) theories requires detailed knowledge of non-perturbative QCD effects. Using lattice QCD and taking advantage of effective field theory methods, we compute the model-independent leading-order matrix elements of short-range operators, which arise due to heavy BSM mediators, that contribute to this decay.
Contributions from short-range operators may prove to be equally important to those from long-range Majorana neutrino exchange.