Neutrino-nuclear response and photonuclear reactions

Abstract

Photo nuclear reactions are shown to be used for studying neutrino/weak nuclear responses involved in astro-neutrino nuclear interactions and double beta decays. Charged current weak responses for ground and excited states are studied by using photo nuclear reactions through isobaric analog states of those states, while neutral current weak responses for excited states are studied by using photo nuclear reactions through the excited states. The weak interaction strengths are studied by measuring the cross sections of the photo nuclear reactions, and the spin and parity of the state are studied by measuring angular correlations of particles emitted from the photo nuclear reactions. Medium-energy polarized photons obtained from laser photons scattered off GeV electrons are very useful. Nuclear responses studied by photo nuclear reactions are used to evaluate neutrino/weak nuclear responses, i.e. nuclear beta and double beta matrix elements and neutrino nuclear interactions, and to verify theoretical calculations for them.