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

A. A. Aguilar-Arevalo, C. E. Anderson, A. O. Bazarko, S. J. Brice, B. C. Brown, L. Bugel, J. Cao, L. Coney, J. M. Conrad, D. C. Cox, A. Curioni, Z. Djurcic, D. A. Finley, B. T. Fleming, R. Ford, F. G. Garcia, G. T. Garvey, C. Green, J. A. Green, T. L. HartE. Hawker, R. Imlay, R. A. Johnson, G. Karagiori, P. Kasper, T. Katori, T. Kobilarcik, I. Kourbanis, S. Koutsoliotas, E. M. Laird, S. K. Linden, J. M. Link, Y. Liu, Y. Liu, W. C. Louis, K. B.M. Mahn, W. Marsh, P. S. Martin, G. McGregor, W. Metcalf, P. D. Meyers, F. Mills, G. B. Mills, J. Monroe, C. D. Moore, R. H. Nelson, V. T. Nguyen, P. Nienaber, J. A. Nowak, S. Ouedraogo, R. B. Patterson, D. Perevalov, C. C. Polly, E. Prebys, J. L. Raaf, H. Ray, B. P. Roe, A. D. Russell, V. Sandberg, R. Schirato, D. Schmitz, M. H. Shaevitz, F. C. Shoemaker, D. Smith, M. Soderberg, M. Sorel, P. Spentzouris, I. Stancu, R. J. Stefanski, M. Sung, H. A. Tanaka, R. Tayloe, M. Tzanov, R. Van de Water, M. O. Wascko, D. H. White, M. J. Wilking, H. J. Yang, G. P. Zeller, E. D. Zimmerman

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104 Scopus citations

Abstract

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.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)41-46
Number of pages6
JournalPhysics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics
Volume664
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 12 2008
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Nuclear and High Energy Physics

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