introduction to neutrino interaction physics nufact08...

Introduction to Neutrino Interaction PhysicsNUFACT08 Summer School

Introduction to Neutrino Interaction PhysicsIntroduction to Neutrino Interaction Physics

NUFACT08 Summer SchoolNUFACT08 Summer School

11-13 June 2008Benasque, Spain

Paul Soler

Neutrino Interaction Physics

NUFACT08 Summer School2

4. Quasi-elastic, resonant, coherent and diffractive scattering

4.1 Motivation

4.2 Charged current quasi-elastic scattering

4.3 Neutral current elastic scattering

4.4 Resonant pion production

4.5 Coherent pion production

4.6 Experiments



4.1 Motivation4.1 Motivation� Many neutrino oscillation experiments need to achieve

E/L ~ 10-3 GeV/km, so for distances ~1000 km, we need interactions around 1 GeV.

� For example, T2K, MINOS, atmospheric experiments require knowledge of cross-section between 0.4 and 2 GeV/c to perform accurate ∆m2

23 and θ23 analysis

T2K



4.1 Motivation4.1 Motivation� Around 1 GeV there is a complicated region where deep inelastic

scattering (DIS), quasi-elastic (QEL) scattering and resonance production (for example, 1π production) co-exist



4.2 Charged current quasi4.2 Charged current quasi--elastic scatteringelastic scattering

� Quasi-elastic neutrino-nucleon scattering reactions (small q2): affects nucleon as a whole

−W

µν

pn

−µ

pn +→+ −µν µ

== −nHpM eff ,, µνµ

np +→+ +µν µ

+W

µν

p n

+µ

factorformvector)( 2 =qFV

factorformvectoraxial)( 2 −=qFA

angle)(Cabbibo975.0cos =Cθ

[ ] ( )[ ]nqFqFpG

AVcF

5

22

5 )()()1(2

cosγγνγγµ

θµµ

µ +−




� In reality, it is more complicated and we need Llewelyn-Smith formalism to calculate QE differential cross-sections:

� A, B, C are complicated functions of two vector form factors F1

V(Q2), F2V(Q2), the axial form factor FA(Q2) and the pseudoscalar

form factor FP(Q2).

2

2

2

2

1

)(

+

=

A

AA

m

Q

gQF

224)( µν mQMEus −−=−

)( 212

2

FFFM

QB A +=

( )

+−+++−+−+−−+

+= 2

2

222

212

2

212

22

12

2

22

4)2()(4

4)1()1(1)(

PPAA FM

QFFFF

M

mFFFFF

M

QmA

µµ τττττ

( )2

2

2

1

2 FFFA τ++=4

1C

2

2

2

2

1

1)1(

)1(1)(

++

−++=

V

npV

m

QQF

τ

µµτ

2

2

4M

Q=τ

−+

−= C

M

usB

M

usA

E

MG

dQ

d F

4

2

22

22

2

, )()(

8m

ν

νν

π

σ

See Zeller, hep-ex/0312061, for details

)(2

)( 2

22

22 QF

Qm

MQF AP

+=

π

2

2

2

22

1)1(

)1(1)(

++

−++=

V

npV

m

QQF

τ

µµτ

Form factors: assume

dipole approximation NnNp and µµµµ 913.1793.1 −==

028.02573.1)0( ±−== AA gF



� Form factors introduced since proton, neutron not elementary.

� Depends on vector and axial weak charges of the proton and neutron.

� Conservation of Vector Current (CVC) relates form factors to electron scattering

� Main physics to be extracted from QE scattering data are empirical form factor parameters (fits to mA, mV, deviations from dipole approximation)


≈= )()( pn ee νσνσ

GeVmA 032.1=

GeVmV 84.0=

( )222

2

/1

)0()(

V

VV

mq

FqF

−=

( )222

2

/1

)0()(

A

AA

mq

FqF

−=

2

38

110975.0

× −

GeV

E



4.3 Neutral current elastic scattering4.3 Neutral current elastic scattering

� Neutral current elastic neutrino-nucleon scattering reactions are related to the CC quasielastic (small q2): about 15% of CC QEL

pp +→+−−

µµ νν)()(

0Z

µν)(−

p p

µν)(−

0Z

µν)(−

n n

µν)(−

nn +→+−−

µµ νν)()(

Also need to

calculate form

factors



� Between the elastic and inelastic region is an area associated with pion production through the excitation of baryon resonances

� Invariant mass squared:

� If x=1 then quasi-elastic scattering but if x<1 then you can excite different pion states:

4.4 Resonant 4.4 Resonant pionpion productionproduction

)1(222 xMMW TT −+= ν

'** NNandNlNl +→+→+ πν

,...)2(,)( 222

ππ mMmMW TT ++=

∑ −Γ→=spins

MWlNNTMEdWdQ

d)(*)(

2

1

32

1 2

22ν

σ

4/)(2

1)(

22

0

Γ+−

Γ=−Γ

MWMW

π

� Rein and Sehgal’s model describes low energy pion production by a coherent superposition of all possible resonances

� Cross-section:

with:



� All possible channels: 3 in CC and 4 in NC


+−++− ++→∆+→+ πµµν µ pN+−+− ++→∆+→+ πµµν µ nN

� For example, possible resonances are ∆++ or ∆+

Very little data, has large statistical

errors, mainly from old bubble

chamber experiments



� All possible channels: 3 in CC and 4 in NC


+−++− ++→∆+→+ πµµν µ pN+−+− ++→∆+→+ πµµν µ nN

� For example, possible resonances are ∆++ or ∆+

NC data is even worse!




� Duality: use electron scattering data to improve precision of model

� Can observe individual resonances with good agreement data and model

Bodek and Yang



4.5 Coherent 4.5 Coherent pionpion productionproduction

� Neutrinos can also produce pions coherently (low Q2 and high ν)

� The neutrino coherently scatters off the whole nucleus with negligible energy transfer to the whole nucleus of mass A

� This results in a forward scattered single pion (background in oscillation searches because forward peaked)

� Neutral and charged current processes are possible:

( ) ( )22||2 )()()( ∑∑ ⊥−−≈−−=i ii ii ppEpqt π

0πνν µµ ++→+ AA+− ++→+ πµν µ AA

( ) abs

tb

A

ANtot Fe

Qm

mryEAf

MG

dydtdQ

d −

++−=

2

22

22222

2

2

2)1(

16

1)1(

2

πνπ σ

ππ

σ

� Rein and Sehgal’s model also describes coherent pion production:

� Cross-section:

amplitude scattering nucleon-pion=)0(Nfπ

parameterimpact == 3/2)3/1( Rb

constantdecay pion== ππ mf 93.0

absorption pion==− λ/x

abs eF

[ ][ ])0(Im

)0(Re

N

N

f

fr

π

π≡

Exponential in |t| distribution



4.5 Coherent 4.5 Coherent pionpion productionproduction

� Charged current single pion coherent cross-section:

� NC cross-section is half of CC:cohCC

cohNC σσ

2

1=



4.6 Experiments4.6 Experiments

� Recent experiments carrying out measurements in the ~1GeV region:– K2K near detectors (ie. SciBar): completed

– MINOS near detector: running

– MiniBoone: running

– SciBoone: moved SciBar to Fermilab, operating at the Booster beamline

– Minerva (under construction)

– T2K (under construction)




� K2K SciBar and SciBoone

Observed CC QE interaction

pn +→+ −µν µ




� MiniBoone: measurement of CCQE scattering– Fitted form factor, effective axial mass:

ππππ0000 event

– NC π0 measurement: 28,000 events

Ratio coherent/non-coherent:




� Minerνa: a detector for precision interaction physics at Fermilab

Scintillator bar

+ wavelength shifting fibre

CCQE event pn +→+ −µν µResonance event



5. Nuclear Effects5.1 Fermi smearing and Pauli blocking

5.2 Nuclear re-interactions



5.1 Fermi smearing and Pauli blocking5.1 Fermi smearing and Pauli blocking

� Nuclear effects in neutrino scattering:– In a nucleus, the target nucleon has a momentum

which modifies scattering

– Modelled as “Fermi gas” that fills up all available states until some initial state Fermi momentum, kF

– The Pauli exclusion principle ensures that states cannot occupy states that are already filled (Pauli blocking)

– Particles that escape nuclear medium may be re-scattered and deflected by the Fermi momentum, especially at low energies.

– We need better understanding of the Fermi motion

– For example, MiniBoone have already published a paper suggesting a modification to the Fermi gas model based on matching QE scattering in all values of Q2 with their data.



5.1 Fermi smearing and Pauli blocking5.1 Fermi smearing and Pauli blocking

� Effects on Structure Functions:– In charged lepton scattering, have observed shadowing and

modifications to PDFs due to nucleons.

– At small x, coherent interaction of a hadronic component of the virtual photon with target nucleus - shadowing

– It is not clear if this is also present in neutrino structure functions since at low x, dominated by axial current

Shadowing

Anti-shadowing

EMC effect

Fermi motion

These effects need to be

studied in detail with high

statistics neutrino scattering



5.2 Re5.2 Re--interactionsinteractions

� Nuclear effects in resonance region:– Production of resonance may be

affected by nuclear medium (see plot of photoabsorption data)

– Resonant structure gets washed out

– Pions may either rescatter or be absorbed. This needs to be measured



ConclusionsConclusions

� Neutrino interactions have provided valuable insight into the theory of weak interactions– Maximal parity violation, V-A theory and finally the Glashow-Weinberg-

Salam electroweak theory were developed in part from information on neutrino interactions

– Neutrino interaction data is used to probe the electroweak theory, such as in the measurements of sin2θW.

� Neutrino interactions have also provided information on the structure of nucleons – Structure function measurements and scaling violations have been

observed (F3 is only accessible through neutrino interactions)

� Neutrino oscillations allow us to probe the grand unification energy scale, but it is crucial that we understand further the

~1 GeV energy region to be able to exploit oscillation experiments to the maximum

� A new generation of experiments is commencing to lead the way towards a new precision era in neutrino interaction physics

introduction to neutrino interaction physics nufact08...

Documents