Published June 12, 2008 | Version v1
Journal article Metadata-only

First observation of coherent π0 production in neutrino-nucleus interactions with Eν<2 GeV

Creators

  • 1. Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States)
  • 2. Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520 (United States)
  • 3. Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)
  • 4. Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia, IL 60510 (United States)
  • 5. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)
  • 6. Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405 (United States)
  • 7. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States)
  • 8. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309 (United States)

Description

The MiniBooNE experiment at Fermilab has amassed the largest sample to date of π0s produced in neutral current (NC) neutrino-nucleus interactions at low energy. This Letter reports a measurement of the momentum distribution of π0s produced in mineral oil (CH2) and the first observation of coherent π0 production below 2 GeV. In the forward direction, the yield of events observed above the expectation for resonant production is attributed primarily to coherent production off carbon, but may also include a small contribution from diffractive production on hydrogen. Integrated over the MiniBooNE neutrino flux, the sum of the NC coherent and diffractive modes is found to be (19.5±1.1(stat)±2.5(sys))% of all exclusive NC π0 production at MiniBooNE. These measurements are of immediate utility because they quantify an important background to MiniBooNE's search for νμ→νe oscillations

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2008.05.006

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1016/j.physletb.2008.05.006;
arXiv
arXiv:0803.3423v1;
PII
S0370-2693(08)00568-6;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Physics Letters. Section B
Journal Volume
664
Journal Issue
1-2
Journal Page Range
p. 41-46
ISSN
0370-2693
CODEN
PYLBAJ

INIS

Country of Publication
Netherlands
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
40046917
Subject category
S72: PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS;
Descriptors DEI
CARBON; COHERENT PRODUCTION; ELECTRON NEUTRINOS; FERMILAB; GEV RANGE 01-10; HYDROGEN; MUON NEUTRINOS; NEUTRAL CURRENTS; NEUTRINO OSCILLATION; NEUTRINO-NUCLEON INTERACTIONS; NEUTRINOS; PIONS NEUTRAL
Descriptors DEC
ALGEBRAIC CURRENTS; BOSONS; CURRENTS; ELEMENTARY PARTICLES; ELEMENTS; ENERGY RANGE; FERMIONS; GEV RANGE; HADRONS; INTERACTIONS; LEPTON-BARYON INTERACTIONS; LEPTON-HADRON INTERACTIONS; LEPTON-NUCLEON INTERACTIONS; LEPTONS; MASSLESS PARTICLES; MESONS; NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS; NEUTRINOS; NONMETALS; PARTICLE INTERACTIONS; PARTICLE PRODUCTION; PIONS; PSEUDOSCALAR MESONS; US DOE; US ORGANIZATIONS

Optional Information

Copyright
Copyright (c) 2008 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.