Charged rho meson production in neutrino-induced reactions at E_nu = 10 GeV

TL;DR

This study investigates charged rho meson production in neutrino-induced reactions at around 10 GeV, revealing minimal nuclear effects and providing new measurements of production fractions, strangeness suppression, and cross sections.

Contribution

First measurement of charged rho meson production at moderate energies with analysis of nuclear effects and strangeness suppression in neutrino interactions.

Findings

No strong nuclear effects observed in rho meson production.

Strangeness suppression factor estimated as 0.18±0.03.

Coherent rho+ production cross section estimated at (0.29±0.16)×10^{-38} cm^2.

Abstract

The neutrinoproduction of charged $\rho$ mesons on nuclei and nucleons is investigated for the first time at moderate energies ($<E_\nu > \approx$ 10 GeV), using the date obtained with SKAT bubble chamber. No strong nuclear effects are observed in $\rho^+$ and $\rho^-$ production. The fractions of charged and neutral pions originating from $\rho$ decays are obtained and compared with higher energy data. From analysis of the obtained and available data on $\rho^+$ and $K^{*+}$(892) neutrinoproduction, the strangeness suppression factor in the quark string fragmentation is extracted: $\lambda_s = 0.18\pm0.03$. Estimations are obtained for cross sections of quasiexclusive single $\rho^+$ and coherent $\rho^+$ neutrinoproduction on nuclei. The estimated coherent cross section $\sigma_{\rho^+}^{coh}$ = (0.29$\pm0.16)\cdot 10^{-38}$ cm$^2$ is compatible with theoretical predictions.