Lepton Mass Effects in Single Pion Production by Neutrinos

TL;DR

This paper enhances the neutrino-induced single pion production model by incorporating lepton mass effects and pion-pole contributions, leading to more accurate cross section predictions and tau polarization forecasts at GeV energies.

Contribution

It introduces an improved formalism for the Rein-Sehgal model that consistently includes lepton mass effects and pion-pole contributions, refining predictions for neutrino resonance interactions.

Findings

Suppressed cross section at small angles for muon neutrinos, consistent with screening corrections.

Prediction of right-handed tau polarization in tau neutrino interactions.

Enhanced agreement with theoretical theorems and models for resonance production.

Abstract

We reconsider the Feynman-Kislinger-Ravndal model applied to neutrino-excitation of baryon resonances. The effects of lepton mass are included, using the formalism of Kuzmin, Lyubushkin and Naumov. In addition we take account of the pion-pole contribution to the hadronic axial vector current. Application of this new formalism to the reaction nu(mu) + p --> mu + Delta at E(nu) approx 1 GeV gives a suppressed cross section at small angles, in agreement with the screening correction in Adler's forward scattering theorem. Application to the process nu(tau) + p --> tau + Delta at E(nu) approx 7 GeV leads to the prediction of right-handed tau polarization for forward-going leptons, in line with a calculation based on an isobar model. Our formalism represents an improved version of the Rein-Sehgal model, incorporating lepton mass effects in a manner consistent with PCAC.