Polarization of the final nucleon in quasi-elastic neutrino scattering and the axial form factor of the nucleon

Abstract

Measurements of the polarization of the final proton in elastic e–p scattering drastically changed our knowledge about the electromagnetic form factors of the proton. Here we present our results of the calculation of the polarization of the final nucleon in charged current quasi-elastic neutrino nucleon scattering. Relations which connect the axial form factor with the polarization, the cross section and the electromagnetic form factors of the nucleon are derived. Measurements of the polarization of the nucleon in high-statistics short baseline neutrino experiments (or in near detectors of long baseline experiments) could provide important information on the axial form factor of the nucleon.