Abstract
Cross sections for the interaction νμA→μ-π0X with neutrino energies between 1 and 5 GeV are measured using a sample of 165,000 selected events collected in the NOvA experiment's near detector, a hydrocarbon-based detector exposed to the Neutrinos from the Main Injector beam at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. Results are presented as a flux-averaged total cross section and as differential cross sections in the momenta and angles of the outgoing muon and π0, the total four-momentum transfer, and the invariant mass of the hadronic system. Comparisons are made with predictions from a reference version of the genie neutrino interaction generator. The measured total cross section of (3.57±0.44)×10-39 cm2 is 7.5% higher than the genie prediction, but is consistent within experimental errors.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 112008 |
| Journal | Physical Review D |
| Volume | 107 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 1 2023 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Funding
This document was prepared by the NOvA Collaboration using the resources of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), a U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, HEP User Facility. Fermilab is managed by Fermi Research Alliance, LLC (FRA), acting under Contract No. DE-AC02-07CH11359. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. National Science Foundation; the Department of Science and Technology, India; the European Research Council; the MSMT CR, GA UK, Czech Republic; the RAS, MSHE, and RFBR, Russia; CNPq and FAPEG, Brazil; UKRI, STFC, and the Royal Society, United Kingdom; and the state and University of Minnesota. We are grateful for the contributions of the staffs of the University of Minnesota at the Ash River Laboratory and of Fermilab.