Neutrino-induced coherent pion production off nuclei reexamined

TL;DR

This paper reexamines neutrino-induced coherent pion production off nuclei, revealing that the commonly used local approximation overestimates production rates when effects of dropping it are considered.

Contribution

It challenges the validity of the local approximation in theoretical models of neutrino-induced coherent pion production, providing insights into more accurate calculations.

Findings

Dropping the local approximation reduces predicted pion production rates.

The local approximation overestimates production in plane wave models.

Reevaluation impacts neutrino interaction modeling in nuclear physics.

Abstract

It is pointed out that so far all theoretical estimates of coherent pion production off nuclei induced by neutrinos rely on the 'local approximation' well known in photonuclear physics. The effects of dropping this approximation are discussed. It is found that in a plane wave approximation for the pion the local approximation overestimates the coherent neutrino-induced pion production on nuclei.