Ramifications of intranuclear re-scattering in MINOS

TL;DR

This paper examines how intranuclear re-scattering affects neutrino energy reconstruction in the MINOS experiment, impacting measurements of neutrino oscillations.

Contribution

It analyzes the simulation of intranuclear re-scattering and its influence on observable quantities in MINOS, highlighting the importance of final state interactions.

Findings

Intranuclear re-scattering significantly impacts neutrino energy reconstruction.

Simulation of re-scattering affects the interpretation of experimental data.

Understanding re-scattering is crucial for accurate neutrino oscillation measurements.

Abstract

MINOS will measure the composition of a neutrino beam at two locations, 735km apart, in an effort confirm the (atmospheric) neutrino oscillation hypothesis and measure the associated mixing parameters. Oscillations will be manifested as a difference in the rate and energy spectrum of muon neutrino CC interactions measured in the two detectors. Because most interactions observed in MINOS are inelastic, the neutrino energy is reconstructed as the sum of the energy carried by the muon and that seen in the hadronic shower emanating from the struck nucleus. The latter is sensitive to uncertainties in the hadronisation process, chief among them those due to intranuclear re-scattering (i.e., final state interactions). We discuss the simulation of intranuclear re-scattering currently used by MINOS and its effect on quantities observable in the experiment.