Polarization of the final nucleon in quasi-elastic neutrino scattering and the axial form factor of the nucleon

TL;DR

This paper calculates the polarization of the final nucleon in neutrino scattering to explore the axial form factor, proposing that polarization measurements could yield new insights into nucleon structure.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical framework linking nucleon polarization in neutrino scattering to the axial form factor, highlighting its potential for experimental investigation.

Findings

Derived relations connecting polarization, cross section, and form factors.

Proposed polarization measurements as a tool to study the axial form factor.

Emphasized importance for high-statistics neutrino experiments.

Abstract

Measurements of the polarization of the final proton in elastic e-p scattering drastically changed our knowledge about the electromagnetic form factors of the proton. Here we present our results of the calculation of the polarization of the final nucleon in charged current quasi-elastic neutrino nucleon scattering. Relations which connect the axial form factor with the polarization, the cross section and the electromagnetic form factors of the nucleon are derived. Measurements of the polarization of the nucleon in the high-statistics short baseline neutrino experiments (or in near detectors of long baseline experiments) could provide important information on the axial form factor of the nucleon.