First Differential Measurement of the Single π+ Production Cross Section in Neutrino Neutral-Current Scattering



Abe, K, Abe, S, Akutsu, R, Alarakia-Charles, H, Hakim, YI Alj, Monsalve, S Alonso, Anthony, L, Aoki, S, Apte, KA, Arai, T
et al (show 372 more authors) (2025) First Differential Measurement of the Single π+ Production Cross Section in Neutrino Neutral-Current Scattering PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, 135 (17). 171803-. ISSN 0031-9007, 1079-7114

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Abstract

Since its first observation in the 1970s, neutrino-induced neutral-current single positive pion production (NC1π+) has remained an elusive and poorly understood interaction channel. This process is a significant background in neutrino oscillation experiments and studying it further is critical for the physics program of next-generation accelerator-based neutrino oscillation experiments. In this Letter, we present the first double-differential cross-section measurement of NC1π+ interactions using data from the ND280 detector of the T2K experiment collected in ν-beam mode. The measured flux-averaged integrated cross section is σ=(6.07±1.22)×10-41 cm2/nucleon. We compare the results on a hydrocarbon target to the predictions of several neutrino interaction generators and final-state-interaction models. While model predictions agree with the differential results, the data show a weak preference for a cross-section normalization approximately 30% higher than predicted by most models studied in this Letter.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: T2K Collaboration
Divisions: Faculty of Science & Engineering
Faculty of Science & Engineering > School of Physical Sciences
Faculty of Science & Engineering > School of Physical Sciences > Physics
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 29 Oct 2025 11:35
Last Modified: 16 Jun 2026 07:12
DOI: 10.1103/6d32-l452
Open Access URL: https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/6d32...
Related Websites:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3195068
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