Measurements of the Inclusive Neutrino and Antineutrino Charged Current Cross Sections in MINERvA Using the Low-$\nu$ Flux Method

TL;DR

This paper reports precise measurements of neutrino and antineutrino charged-current cross sections in the 2-50 GeV range using the low-$ u$ flux method, demonstrating its applicability at low energies and in antineutrino beams.

Contribution

It introduces the lowest-energy application of the low-$ u$ flux technique and its first use in the NuMI antineutrino beam, improving cross section measurement precision.

Findings

Most precise cross section measurements below 5 GeV

First application of low-$ u$ method in NuMI antineutrino beam

Demonstrates technique suitability for future multi-GeV neutrino experiments

Abstract

The total cross sections are important ingredients for the current and future neutrino oscillation experiments. We present measurements of the total charged-current neutrino and antineutrino cross sections on scintillator (CH) in the NuMI low-energy beamline using an {\em in situ} prediction of the shape of the flux as a function of neutrino energy from 2--50 GeV. This flux prediction takes advantage of the fact that neutrino and antineutrino interactions with low nuclear recoil energy ($\nu$) have a nearly constant cross section as a function of incident neutrino energy. This measurement is the lowest energy application of the low-$\nu$ flux technique, the first time it has been used in the NuMI antineutrino beam configuration, and demonstrates that the technique is applicable to future neutrino beams operating at multi-GeV energies. The cross section measurements presented are the most precise measurements to date below 5 GeV.