First measurement of the cross section for $\nu_\mu$ and $\bar{\nu}_\mu$ induced single charged pion production on argon using ArgoNeuT

TL;DR

This paper presents the first measurement of the cross section for single charged pion production induced by muon neutrinos and antineutrinos on argon, using the ArgoNeuT detector at Fermilab, providing key data for neutrino interaction models.

Contribution

It provides the first experimental cross section measurements for neutrino and antineutrino induced single charged pion production on argon, across multiple kinematic variables.

Findings

Measured flux-averaged cross sections for neutrinos and antineutrinos.

Compared experimental results with theoretical model predictions.

Provided differential cross section data as functions of muon and pion angles.

Abstract

We report on the first cross section measurement of charged-current single charged pion production by neutrinos and antineutrinos on argon. This analysis was performed using the ArgoNeuT detector exposed to the NuMI beam at Fermilab. The measurements are presented as functions of muon momentum, muon angle, pion angle, and angle between muon and pion. The flux-averaged cross sections are measured to be $2.7\pm0.5(stat)\pm0.5(syst) \times 10^{-37} \textrm{cm}^{2}/\textrm{Ar}$ for neutrinos at a mean energy of 9.6 GeV and $8.4\pm0.9(stat)^{+1.0}_{-0.8}(syst) \times 10^{-38} \textrm{cm}^{2}/\textrm{Ar}$ for antineutrinos at a mean energy of 3.6 GeV with the charged pion momentum above 100 MeV/$c$. The results are compared with several model predictions.