Proton and neutron decays into light new particles $X$ can drastically change the experimental signatures and benefit from the complementarity of large water-Cherenkov neutrino detectors such as Super/Hyper-Kamiokande and tracking detectors such as JUNO and DUNE. The proton decays $p\to \ell^+ X$ and $p\to π^+ X$ with $m_X$ near phase-space closure lead to charged particles below Cherenkov threshold, rendering them practically invisible in Super- and Hyper-Kamiokande but not in JUNO and DUNE, which are therefore uniquely positioned for these baryon-number-violating signatures despite their smaller size. As an additional signature, such nucleon decays in Earth can produce a sizable flux of $X$ particles in underground detectors. We present a simple model in which nucleons decay into sub-GeV sterile neutrinos that subsequently decay through active-sterile neutrino mixing, with a promisingly large number of events in Super-Kamiokande even in the seesaw-motivated parameter space.
A sample of two proton and no pion events selected in the ArgoNeuT neutrino scattering experiment on liquid argon target [Phys. Rev. D90 (2014) 012008] is analyzed with NuWro Monte Carlo event generator. An attempt is made to estimate how likely it is to obtain observed numbers of laboratory frame and reconstructed back-to-back nucleon pairs. For laboratory frame back-to-back events a clear data/MC discrepancy is seen. For the reconstructed nucleon pairs a good agreement is reported. We provide a simple kinematical argument why this accordance is expected.
We derive structure functions for the quasielastic production of octet baryons in neutrino and antineutrino interactions with nucleons and study the polarization of tau leptons produced in the $Δ{Y}=0$ reactions. Possible impact of the charged second-class currents is investigated by adopting a simple phenomenological parametrization for the nonstandard scalar and tensor nucleon form factors. Our choice of the unknown parameters is made to satisfy the limits obtained in the (anti)neutrino scattering experiments and rigid restrictions derived from the nuclear structure studies.
We discuss as accurately as possible the cross section of quasi-elastic scattering of electron (anti-)neutrinos on nucleons, also known as inverse beta decay in the case of antineutrinos. We focus on the moderate energy range from a few MeV up to hundreds of MeV, which includes neutrinos from reactors and supernovae. We assess the uncertainty on the cross section, which is relevant to experimental advances and increasingly large statistical samples. We estimate the effects of second-class currents, showing that they are small and negligible for current applications.
Experimentally, the production of oppositely charged dimuon events by neutrino and anti-neutrino deep inelastic scattering (DIS) is used to determine the strangeness asymmetry inside a nucleon. Here we point out that the direct production of $D$-meson in DIS may make substantial influence to the measurement of nucleon strange distributions. The direct $D$-meson production is via the heavy quark recombination (HQR) and via the light quark fragmentation from perturbative QCD (LQF-P). To see the influence precisely, we compute the direct $D$-meson productions via HQR and LQF-P quantitatively and …
We show that discovery of baryon number violation in two processes with at least one obeying the selection rule Δ(B-L) = \pm 2 can determine the Majorana character of neutrinos. Thus observing p \to e^+ π^0 and n \to e^- π^0 decays, or p \to e^+ π^0 and n-nbar oscillations, or n \to e^- π^+ and n-nbar oscillations would establish that neutrinos are Majorana particles. We discuss this in a model-independent effective operator approach.
This talk presents some of the results of the re-analysis of [Graczyk et al.] of the bubble chamber data for single pion production induced by neutrino scattering off deuteron. It is shown that ANL and BNL data are statistically consistent. The validity of the Adler relations (between $P_{33}(1232)$ resonance axial form factors) is also investigated.
We suggest an empirical rule-of-thumb for calculating the cross sections of charged-current quasielastic (CCQE) and CCQE-like interactions of neutrinos and antineutrinos with nuclei. The approach is based on the standard relativistic Fermi-gas model and on the notion of neutrino energy dependent axial-vector mass of the nucleon, governed by a couple of adjustable parameters, one of which is the conventional charged-current axial-vector mass. The inelastic background contributions and final-state interactions are therewith simulated using GENIE 3 neutrino event generator. An extensive compariso…
Hadron cascade model is an essential part of Monte Carlo neutrino event generators that governs final state interactions of knocked-out nucleons and produced pions. It is shown that such model enriched with physically motivated modifications of nucleon-nucleon cross section and incorporation of nuclear correlation effects is able to reproduce experimental nuclear transparency data. Uncertainty of nucleon final state interactions effects is estimated and applied to recent neutrino-nucleus cross section measurements that include an outgoing proton in the experimental signal. Conclusions are draw…
Neutrino Physics is now entering precision era and neutrino-nucleon cross sections are an im- portant ingredient in all neutrino oscillation experiments. Specially, precise knowledge of neutrino- nucleon cross sections in Ultra High Energy (UHE) regime (TeV-PeV) is becoming more important now, as several experiments worldwide are going to observe processes involving such UHE neutrinos. In this work, we present new results on neutrino-nucleon cross-sections in this UHE regime, using QCD.
We discuss W and Z production through the deep inelastic neutrino-nucleon scattering in the context of the standard model SU(3)x SU(2)x U(1) of the strong and electroweak interactions. We find the cross section rates for the process neutrino + nucleon --> lepton(-) + W(+) + X for the case of ultrahigh-energy neutrinos colliding on a target nucleon.
Quasielastic antineutrino/proton and neutrino/neutron scatterings can be well approximated by simple formulae, valid around MeV or GeV energies. We obtain a single expression valid in the whole range, and discuss its relevance for studies of supernova neutrinos, which reach intermediate energies.
We deduce the cosmogenic neutrino flux by jointly analysing ultra high energy cosmic ray data from HiRes-I and II, AGASA and the Pierre Auger Observatory. We make two determinations of the neutrino flux by using a model-dependent method and a model-independent method. The former is well-known, and involves the use of a power-law injection spectrum. The latter is a regularized unfolding procedure. We then use neutrino flux bounds obtained by the RICE experiment to constrain the neutrino-nucleon inelastic cross section at energies inaccessible at colliders. The cross section bounds obtained usin…
By means of a Monte Carlo cascade method, to account for the rescattering of the outgoing nucleon, we study the charged and neutral current inclusive one nucleon knockout reactions off nuclei induced by neutrinos. The nucleon emission process studied here is a clear signal for neutral--current neutrino driven reactions, and can be used in the analysis of future neutrino experiments.
I explain the Sato-Lee (SL) model and its extension to the neutrino-induced pion production off the nucleon. Then I discuss applications of the SL model to incoherent and coherent pion productions in the neutrino-nucleus scattering. I mention a further extension of this approach with a dynamical coupled-channels model developed in Excited Baryon Analysis Center of JLab.
The possibility to determine the axial strange form factor of the nucleon from elastic neutrino-nucleon scattering experiments is studied. The existing experimental information is shortly mentioned and several observables which could be measured in the near future at new neutrino facilities are discussed.
Elastic scattering of neutrinos and antineutrinos on nucleons is considered. It is shown that the measurement of the neutrino-antineutrino asymmetry would allow to obtain model independent informations on the strange axial and vector form factors. The ratio of the magnetic form factors of the proton and neutron, on which the asymmetry depends, is investigated in detail. The asymmetry is calculated under different assumptions on the behavior of the strange vector and axial form factors.
We consider different methods and observables which can be obtained by the measurement of neutrino scattering off nucleons and nuclei with the purpose of finding evidence for the strange form factors of the nucleon, which enter into structure of the nucleonic weak neutral current.
A prime number based parametrization for total neutrino-nucleon cross section is presented. The method employs the relation between prime numbers and their indices to reproduce neutrino cross sections for neutrino energies from the $MeV$ to the $PeV$ regions where experimental data are available. This prime-index relation provides estimates of the neutrino-nucleon cross sections valid across many decades of neutrino energy scales. The $PeV$ data are from the recently published astrophysical $ν_μ+ \bar ν_μ$ rates in the IceCube detector as well as neutrino-nucleon cross section measurements. A …
We evaluate the charged current neutrino-nucleon total cross section up to neutrino energies of 10^{12} GeV in the LO and NLO of perturbative QCD within the framework of two different factorization schemes. The numerical implications of some inconsistent QCD calculations are illustrated.
Next generation kilometer-scale neutrino telescopes, such as ICECUBE, can test standard model predictions for neutrino-nucleon cross sections at energies well beyond the reach of collider experiments. At energies near a PeV and higher, the Earth becomes opaque to neutrinos. At these energies, the ratio of upgoing and downgoing events can be used to measure the total neutrino-nucleon cross section given the presence of an adequate high energy neutrino flux.
It is shown that the specific space distribution of the nucleon axial charge may lead to the significant reduction of the cross section of the reaction $p+p\to D+e^++ν$ and may provide the mechanism to explain observed deficit of solar neutrinos.
Measurements of the polarization of the final proton in elastic e-p scattering drastically changed our knowledge about the electromagnetic form factors of the proton. Here we present our results of the calculation of the polarization of the final nucleon in charged current quasi-elastic neutrino nucleon scattering. Relations which connect the axial form factor with the polarization, the cross section and the electromagnetic form factors of the nucleon are derived. Measurements of the polarization of the nucleon in the high-statistics short baseline neutrino experiments (or in near detectors of…
Electromagnetic structure functions for electron-proton scattering are used as a test of the QCD improved parton model at low and moderate Q. Two parameterizations which work well in ep scattering at low Q are used to evaluate the inelastic muon neutrino-nucleon and muon antineutrino-nucleon cross sections for energies between 1-10 GeV, of interest in long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments. Cross sections are reduced when these low-Q extrapolations are used.
A joint fit to neutrino-nucleon scattering and pion electroproduction data is performed to evaluate the nucleon axial form factor in the two-component model consisting of a three-quark intrinsic structure surrounded by a meson cloud. Further constrains on the model are obtained by re-evaluating the electromagnetic form factor using electron scattering data. The results of the axial form factor show sizable differences with respect to the widely used dipole model. The impact of such changes on the Charged-Current Quasi-Elastic neutrino-nucleus cross-section is evaluated in the SuSAv2 nuclear mo…
In this paper we present an analytic result for the evolution in $Q^2$ of the structure functions for the neutrino-nucleon interaction, valid at twist-2 in the region of small values of the Bjorken $x$ variable and for soft non-perturbative input. In the special case of flat initial conditions, we include in the calculation also the contribution of the twist-4 gluon recombination corrections, whose effect in the evolution is explicitly determined. Finally, we estimate the resulting charged-current neutrino-nucleon total cross section and discuss its behavior at ultra-high energies.
We calculate the nucleon contribution to the electromagnetic vertex of a neutrino in a background of particles, including the effect of the anomalous magnetic moment of the nucleons. Explicit formulas for the form factors are given in various physical limits of practical interest. Several applications of the results are mentioned, including the effect of an external magnetic field on the dispersion relation of a neutrino in matter.
Free nucleons propagating in water are known to produce gamma rays, which form a background to the searches for diffuse supernova neutrinos and sterile neutrinos carried out with Cherenkov detectors. As a consequence, the process of nucleon knockout induced by neutral-current quasielastic interactions of atmospheric (anti)neutrinos with oxygen needs to be under control at the quantitative level in the background simulations of the ongoing and future experiments. In this paper, we provide a quantitative assessment of the uncertainty associated with the theoretical description of the nuclear cro…
We investigate the pseudoscalar transition form factors of nucleon for quasi-elastic scattering and Δresonance production in tau-neutrino nucleon scattering via the charged current interactions. Although the pseudoscalar form factors play an important role for the τproduction in neutrino-nucleon scattering, these are not known well. In this article, we examine their effects in quasi-elastic scattering and Δresonance production and find that the cross section, Q^{2} distribution, and spin polarization of the produced τ^{\pm} leptons are quite sensitive to the pseudoscalar form factors.
We study forward neutrino-induced meson production off the nucleon in the resonance region. Our calculation is based on a dynamical coupled-channels (DCC) model that reasonably describes pi (gamma) N -> pi N, eta N, K Lambda, K Sigma data in the resonance region. We apply the PCAC hypothesis to the DCC model to relate the pi N reaction amplitude to the forward neutrino reaction amplitude. In this way, we give a prediction for nu N -> pi N, pi pi N, eta N, K Lambda, K Sigma reaction cross sections. The predicted nu N -> pi pi N, eta N, K Lambda, K Sigma cross sections are, for the first time, b…
When solving the solar neutrino problem on the basis of the hypothesis of the existence of a new interaction between electron neutrinos and nucleons, carried by a massless pseudoscalar boson, it becomes necessary to find the consequences of the short-term Brownian motion of neutrinos in the Sun. Earlier, we transmitted these consequences by the effective number of collisions of a neutrino with nucleons of the Sun, assuming the equality of fluxes near the Earth of left- and right-handed solar neutrinos. In this paper, we analyze the transfer of the mentioned consequences by a test geometric dis…
We study the polarization vector of $τ^-$ ($τ^+$) leptons created in $ν_τ$ ($\barν_τ$) - Nucleon deep inelastic scattering. Our work is oriented toward ultra-high energy particles relevant for cosmic-rays experiments. The goal of this paper is to derive relevant informations to constrain the systematic uncertainties that follow from the lack of knowledge about this point particularly when studying Earth-skimming neutrinos.
Unitarity relates the total cross section for neutrino-nucleon scattering to the neutrino-nucleon forward scattering amplitude. Assuming the validity of the perturbative expansion of the forward amplitude in the {\em weak} coupling constant, we derive a unitarity bound on the inelastic cross section. The inelastic cross section saturates this bound at a typical neutrino energy $E_ν\simeq 10^8 {\rm GeV}$. This implies that calculations of the inelastic cross section that use current parton distribution functions and lowest order weak perturbation theory are unreliable above this energy.
The relations between neutrino NC and CC structure functions and cross sections, which are driven by isospin symmetry, are discussed for nucleons and nuclei.
We discuss the radiative corrections to charged and neutral current deep-inelastic neutrino--nucleon scattering in the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM). In particular, deviations from the Standard Model prediction for the ratios of neutral- to charged-current cross sections, $R^ν$ and $R^{\barν}$, are studied, and results of a scan over the MSSM parameter space are presented.
We analyse available experimental data on the total charged-current neutrino-nucleon and antineutrino-nucleon cross sections for quasielastic scattering and single-pion neutrinoproduction. Published results from the relevant experiments at ANL, BNL, FNAL, CERN, and IHEP are included dating from the end of sixties to the present day, covering muon neutrino and antineutrino beams on a variety of nuclear targets, with energies from the thresholds to about 350 GeV. The data are used to adjust the poorly known values of the axial masses.
Using a recent parametrization of nuclear effects in parton distribution functions we calculate the neutrino-nucleon cross section at energies relevant for ultra high energy neutrino telescopes. The modification of the cross section in comparison with the calculation using parton densities in free nucleons is of the order of few per cent for the parameter range of interest in neutrino telescopes (A=10 and E=10$^6$ GeV) and it reaches 20 % at the highest energies (E=10$^{12}$ GeV) and for the largest nuclear size (A=190) considered.
We study the effect of bound nucleon form factors on charged-current neutrino-nucleus scattering. The bound nucleon form factors of the vector and axial-vector currents are calculated in the quark-meson coupling model. We compute the inclusive $^{12}$C($ν_μ,μ^-$)$X$ cross sections using a relativistic Fermi gas model with the calculated bound nucleon form factors. The effect of the bound nucleon form factors for this reaction is a reduction of $\sim$8% for the total cross section, relative to that calculated with the free nucleon form factors.
We study the nucleon contribution to the electromagnetic vertex function of neutrinos that propagate in a matter background in the presence of a magnetic field. Starting from the one-loop expression for the corresponding terms of the vertex function, and taking into account the anomalous magnetic coupling of the nucleons, we calculate the B-dependent part of the form factors that determine the induced charge of the neutrino. A formula for the neutrino induced charge is obtained, and it is evaluated for various illustrative situations. The terms due to the nucleons can be important in some case…
The origin of the ultra high energy cosmic ray (UHECR) showers has remained as a mystery among particle physicists and astrophysicists. In low scale gravity models, where the neutrino-nucleon cross section rises to typical hadronic values at energies above $10^{20}$ eV, the neutrino becomes a candidate for the primary that initiates these showers. We calculate the neutrino-nucleon cross section at ultra high energies by assuming that it is dominated by the production of p-branes. We show, using a generalized Randall-Sundrum model, that the neutrino-nucleon cross-section at neutrino energies of…
We construct a model for inelastic neutrino- and electron-nucleon scattering cross sections using effective leading order parton distribution functions with a new scaling variable $ξ_w$. Non-perturbative effects are well described using the $ξ_w$ scaling variable, in combination with multiplicative $K$ factors at low $Q^2$.Our model describes all inelastic charged lepton-nucleon scattering (including resonance) data (HERA/NMC/BCDMS/SLAC/JLab) ranging from very high $Q^2$ to very low $Q^2$ and down to the photo-production region. The model describes existing inelastic neutrino-nucleon scatterin…
Future detectors of cosmic rays, such as EUSO and OWL, can test the Standard Model predictions for the neutrino interactions at energies well beyond the reach of any terrestrial experiment. The relative rates of horizontal and upgoing air showers, combined with the angular distribution of upgoing air showers will allow one to measure the neutrino-nucleon cross section at center-of-mass energy 10^5 GeV or higher.
Ultrahigh energy neutrinos can be used to explore the physics at the TeV scale. We study the neutrino-nucleon cross section in models with extra dimensions and the fundamental scale at the TeV. In particular, we discuss the production of string resonances and the gravitational interactions (multigraviton exchange and production of microscopic black holes) in these models. We show that the new TeV physics could give observable signals in horizontal air showers and neutrino telescopes.
The high energy neutrino cross section is a crucial ingredient in the calculation of the event rate in high energy neutrino telescopes. Currently there are several approaches which predict different behaviours for its magnitude for ultrahigh energies. In this paper we present a comparison between the predictions based on linear DGLAP dynamics, non-linear QCD and in the imposition of a Froissart-like behaviour at high energies. In particular, we update the predictions based on the Color Glass Condensate, presenting for the first time the results for $σ_{νN}$ using the solution of the running co…
We calculate the total and differential quasielastic cross sections for neutrino and antineutrino scattering on nucleons using up to date fits to the nucleon elastic electromagnetic form factors $G_E^p$, $G_E^n$, $G_M^p$, $G_M^n$, and $F_A$ and pseudoscalar form factors. We compare predictions of the cross sections for nucelons and nuclei to experimental data.
We construct a model for inelastic neutrino- and electron-nucleon scattering cross sections using effective leading order parton distribution functions with a new scaling variable $ξ_w$. Non-perturbative effects are well described using the $ξ_w$ scaling variable, in combination with multiplicative $K$ factors at low $Q^2$. Our model describes all inelastic charged lepton-nucleon scattering (including resonance) data (HERA/NMC/BCDMS/SLAC/JLab) ranging from very high $Q^2$ to very low $Q^2$ and down to the photo-production region. The model describes existing inelastic neutrino-nucleon scatteri…
Single pion production in neutrino-nucleon scattering is discussed. The neutrino energies characteristic for T2K project are considered. Two new parameterizations of $C_5^A$ axial form factor are proposed. Both of them are obtained in simultaneous fit to ANL and BNL data. One of them (which fits better to BNL data) leads to $dσ/dQ^2$ differential cross section which is significantly reduced at low $Q^2$.
The neutrino induced hyperon production processes $\barν_{e/μ} + p \to e^+/μ^+ + π+ Λ/Σ$ may provide a unique clean place for studying low energy $πΛ/Σ$ interaction and hyperon resonances below $KN$ threshold. The production rates for some neutrino induced hyperon production processes are estimated with theoretical models. Suggestions are made for the study of hyperon production from neutrino-nucleon reaction at present and future neutrino facilities.
The cross section for ultra-high energy neutrino-nucleon scattering is very sensitive to the parton distributions at very small values of Bjorken x ($x \leq 10^{-4})$. We numerically investigate the effects of modifying the behavior of the gluon distribution function at very small $x$ in the DGLAP evolution equation. We then use the Color Glass Condensate formalism to calculate the neutrino-nucleon cross section at ultra-high energies and compare the result with those based on modification of DGLAP evolution equation.
Quasielastic neutrino-nucleon scattering is a basic signal process for neutrino oscillation studies. At accelerator energies, the corresponding cross section is subject to significant uncertainty due to the poorly constrained axial-vector form factor of the nucleon. A model-independent description of the axial-vector form factor is presented. Data from the MiniBooNE experiment for quasielastic neutrino scattering on carbon are analyzed under the assumption of a definite nuclear model. The value of the axial mass parameter, m_A=0.85^{+0.22}_{-0.07} +/- 0.09 GeV, is found to differ significantly…
A search for extremely high energy cosmic neutrinos has been carried out with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. The main signals in the search are neutrino-induced energetic charged leptons and their rate depends on the neutrino-nucleon cross section. The upper-limit on the neutrino flux has implications for possible new physics beyond the standard model such as the extra space-time dimension scenarios which lead to a cross section much higher than the standard particle physics prediction. In this study we constrain the neutrino-nucleon cross section at energies beyond $10^9$ GeV with the IceC…
Numerical results for the degree of polarization of τ^- produced in (CC) neutrino - nucleon Deep Inelastic Scattering (DIS) are presented. Calculations are done in the threshold region, where the τ^- scattered by the small angles and can be partially polarized. The cross sections and polarization are calculated by using the GRV98 parton distributions functions (PDF's) and the GRV98 with modifications of A. Bodek at.al.
In this paper we present a simple analytic expression for the (spin-averaged) neutrino-nucleon cross section for ultra-high energies at twist-2, obtained as the asymptotic limit of our previous findings. This expression gives values for the cross section in remarkable numerical agreement with the previous numerical evaluation in the energy region relevant for forthcoming neutrino experiments. Moreover, we discuss the role and the relevance of saturation and recombination effects in our approach, in comparison with other recent suggestions.
Ultra-high energy ($E_ν>10^8 $ GeV) neutrino-nucleon total cross sections $σ^{νN}$ are estimated from a soft non-perturbative model complemented by an approximate QCD evolution, explicitly calculated. The resulting asymptotic energy behavior of the neutrino-nucleon charged-current total cross section is derived analytically and predictions concerning the observation of ultra-high energy neutrinos in future experiments are presented.
It is shown that several ratios of neutral to charged current cross sections are determined accurately, because the largest contribution is determined by isospin symmetry and the smaller terms are estimated from data or theoretical calculations. This way the theoretical uncertainty is very small. It is further discussed that the ratios can be measured at various distances from the origin of the neutrino beams, because an increase with distance will be indication for neutrino oscillations and will allow a precise determination of the oscillation parameters. Finally, coherent scattering is discu…
The current and near-future neutrino oscillation experiments require significantly improved neutrino-nucleus reaction models. Neutrino-nucleon pion production data play a crucial role to validate corresponding elementary amplitudes that go into such neutrino-nucleus models. Thus the currently available data extracted from charged-current neutrino-deuteron reaction data ($ν_μd\to μ^-πNN$) must be corrected for nuclear effects such as the Fermi motion and final state interactions (FSI). We study $ν_μd\to μ^-πNN$ with a theoretical model including the impulse mechanism supplemented by FSI from $N…
Neutrino interactions with protons and neutrons probe their deep structure and may reveal new physics. The higher the neutrino energy, the sharper the probe. So far, the neutrino-nucleon ($νN$) cross section is known across neutrino energies from a few hundred MeV to a few PeV. Soon, ultra-high-energy (UHE) cosmic neutrinos, with energies above 100 PeV, could take us farther. So far, they have evaded discovery, but upcoming UHE neutrino telescopes endeavor to find them. We present the first detailed measurement forecasts of the UHE $νN$ cross section, geared to IceCube-Gen2, one of the leading…
The neutrino pion production off the nucleon is traditionally described in the literature by means of the weak excitation of the Delta(1232) resonance and its subsequent decay into N pi. Here, we present results from a model that includes also some background terms required by chiral symmetry. We show that the contribution of these terms is sizeable and leads to significant effects in total and partially integrated pion production cross sections at intermediate energies of interest for neutrino oscillation experiments. Finally, we discuss parity-violating contributions to the pion angular diff…
