Ab initio calculation of the electromagnetic and neutral-weak response functions of 4He and 12C

TL;DR

This paper develops a quantum Monte Carlo and spectral function-based framework to accurately model neutrino-nucleus interactions, crucial for interpreting neutrino oscillation experiments.

Contribution

It introduces a consistent ab initio approach incorporating meson-exchange currents for neutrino interaction modeling with nuclei.

Findings

Progress towards a comprehensive nuclear response function model

Framework applicable across broad neutrino experiment kinematics

Enhanced understanding of neutrino-nucleus interaction mechanisms

Abstract

Precise measurement of neutrino oscillations, and hence the determination of their masses demands a quantitative understanding of neutrino-nucleus interactions. To this aim, two-body meson-exchange currents have to be accounted for along within realistic models of nuclear dynamics. We summarize our progresses towards the construction of a consistent framework, based on quantum Monte Carlo methods and on the spectral function approach, that can be exploited to accurately describe neutrino interactions with atomic nuclei over the broad kinematical region covered by neutrino experiments.