Strange particle production at low and intermediate energies

TL;DR

This paper develops a microscopic model based on SU(3) chiral Lagrangians to study weak kaon production off nucleons induced by neutrinos and antineutrinos at energies relevant for neutrino oscillation experiments, providing cross section estimates.

Contribution

The paper introduces a new microscopical model for weak kaon production using SU(3) chiral Lagrangians, applicable at low and intermediate energies.

Findings

Main kaon production mechanisms identified for neutrino energies up to 2 GeV.

Cross sections are sufficiently large for experimental measurement.

Model predictions relevant for experiments like Minerva, T2K, and NOνA.

Abstract

The weak kaon production off the nucleon induced by neutrinos and antineutrinos is studied at low and intermediate energies of interest for some ongoing and future neutrino oscillation experiments. We develop a microscopical model based on the SU(3) chiral Lagrangians. The studied mechanisms are the main source of kaon production for neutrino energies up to 2 GeV for the various channels and the cross sections are large enough to be amenable to be measured by experiments such as Minerva, T2K and NO$\nu$A.