Neutral-current neutrino-nucleus cross sections based on relativistic nuclear energy density functional

TL;DR

This paper develops a self-consistent relativistic nuclear model to calculate neutral-current neutrino-nucleus cross sections, crucial for supernova simulations, covering various nuclei and neutrino energy distributions.

Contribution

It introduces a fully self-consistent relativistic framework for neutrino-nucleus reactions, including unnatural parity transitions, for the first time.

Findings

Calculated cross sections for multiple nuclei relevant to supernovae.

Provided neutrino energy-averaged cross sections for supernova conditions.

Assessed theoretical uncertainties in neutrino-nucleus scattering models.

Abstract

Background: Inelastic neutrino-nucleus scattering through the weak neutral-current plays important role in stellar environment where transport of neutrinos determine the rate of cooling. Since there are no direct experimental data on neutral-current neutrino-nucleus cross sections available, only the modeling of these reactions provides the relevant input for supernova simulations. Purpose: To establish fully self-consistent framework for neutral-current neutrino-nucleus reactions based on relativistic nuclear energy density functional. Methods: Neutrino-nucleus cross sections are calculated using weak Hamiltonian and nuclear properties of initial and excited states are obtained with relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov model and relativistic quasiparticle random phase approximation that is extended to include pion contributions for unnatural parity transitions. Results: Inelastic neutral-current neutrino-nucleus cross sections for 12C, 16O, 56Fe, 56Ni, and even isotopes {92-100}Mo as well as respective cross sections averaged over distribution of supernova neutrinos. Conclusions: The present study provides insight into neutrino-nucleus scattering cross sections in the neutral channel, their theoretical uncertainty in view of recently developed microscopic models, and paves the way for systematic self-consistent large-scale calculations involving open-shell target nuclei.