Comparison of GiBUU calculations with MiniBooNE pion production data

Abstract

Background: Neutrino-induced pion production can give important informationon the axial coupling to nucleon resonances. Furthermore, pion production represents a major background to quasielastic-like events. one pion production data from the MiniBooNE in charged current neutrino scattering in mineral oil appeared higher than expected within conventional theoretical approaches.Purpose: We aim to investigate which model parameters affect the calculated cross section and how they do this.Method: The Giessen Boltzmann–Uehling–Uhlenbeck (GiBUU) model is used for an investigation of neutrino-nucleus reactions.Results: Presented are integrated and differential cross sections for 1π+ and 1π0 production before and after final state interactions in comparison with the MiniBooNE data.Conclusions: For the MiniBooNE flux all processes (QE, 1π-background, Δ, higher resonance production, DIS) contribute to the observed final state with one pion of a given charge. The uncertainty in elementary pion production cross sections leads to a corresponding uncertainty in the nuclear cross sections. Final state interactions change the shape of the muon-related observables only slightly, but they significantly change the shape of pion distributions.