A Measurement of Neutrino-Induced Charged-Current Neutral Pion Production

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/978883· OSTI ID:978883

Nelson, Robert H. ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)

This work presents the first comprehensive measurement of neutrino-induced charged-current neutral pion production (CCπ⁰) off a nuclear target. The Mini Booster Neutrino Experiment (MiniBooNE) and Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) are discussed in detail. MiniBooNE is a high-statistics (~ 1, 000, 000 interactions) low-energy (E_vϵ 2 0.5 - 2.0 GeV) neutrino experiment located at Fermilab. The method for selecting and reconstructing CCπ⁰ events is presented. The π⁰ and μ^- are fully reconstructed in the final state allowing for the measurement of, among other things, the neutrino energy. The total observable CCπ⁰ cross-section is presented as a function of neutrino energy, along with five differential cross-sections in terms of the final state kinematics and Q². The results are combined to yield a flux-averaged total cross-section of <σ>_Φ = (9.2 ± 0.3_stat. ± 1.5_syst.) × 10^-39 cm²/CH₂ at energy 965 MeV. These measurements will aid future neutrino experiments with the prediction of their neutrino interaction rates.

• Research Organization: Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-07CH11359
• OSTI ID: 978883
• Report Number(s): FERMILAB-THESIS-2010-09; TRN: US1003048
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
CROSS SECTIONS
FERMILAB
FORECASTING
NEUTRINO BEAMS
NEUTRINOS
PIONS
PRODUCTION
TOTAL CROSS SECTIONS
Experiment-HEP