Short-Range Correlations and Meson-Exchage Currents in Electron and Neutrino Scattering

TL;DR

This paper studies how meson-exchange currents and short-range correlations affect electron and neutrino scattering responses in nuclear matter, highlighting their impact on experimental interpretations.

Contribution

It introduces a formalism incorporating short-range correlations into meson-exchange current calculations for nuclear responses, extending to neutrino scattering.

Findings

Enhanced transverse response due to interference effects

Short-range correlations significantly modify scattering responses

Framework applicable to neutrino oscillation experiments

Abstract

We investigate meson-exchange currents (MEC) in the one-particle emission transverse response of nuclear matter, incorporating short-range correlations via the Bethe-Goldstone equation with a realistic nucleon-nucleon interaction. The interference between one-body and two-body currents, strengthened by the high-momentum components of correlated pairs, produces a marked enhancement of the transverse response. We also indicate how the formalism extends to neutrino scattering, where similar effects are expected to impact oscillation experiments.