Sensitivity of the upgraded T2K Near Detector to constrain neutrino and antineutrino interactions with no mesons in the final state by exploiting nucleon-lepton correlations

S Dolan,M Martini,D Sgalaberna,M Buizza Avanzini,L Munteanu,C Giganti,Y Kudenko,A Letourneau,S Bolognesi,J Chakrani,C Mcgrew,M Lamoureux,A Blanchet,B Popov,X Y Zhao,V Q Nguyen,S Suvorov,A Ershova

doi:10.1103/physrevd.105.032010

Abstract

The most challenging and impactful uncertainties that future accelerator-based measurements of neutrino oscillations must overcome stem from our limited ability to model few-GeV neutrino-nucleus interactions. In particular, it is crucial to better understand the nuclear effects which can alter the final state topology and kinematics of neutrino interactions, inducing possible biases in neutrino energy reconstruction. The upgraded ND280 near detector of the T2K experiment will directly confront neutrino interaction uncertainties using a new suite of detectors with full polar angle acceptance, improved spatial resolutions, neutron detection capabilities and reduced tracking thresholds. In this manuscript we explore the physics sensitivity that can be expected from the upgraded detector, specifically focusing on the additional sensitivity to nuclear effects and how they can be constrained with future measurements of kinematic variables constructed using both outgoing lepton and nucleon kinematics.

Highlights

Neutrino oscillations are measured at accelerator-based experiments by inferring the rate of interactions of a particular neutrino flavor, as a function of neutrino energy, at a detector placed some distance from the neutrino production point
In this manuscript we explore the physics sensitivity that can be expected from the upgraded detector, focusing on the additional sensitivity to nuclear effects and how they can be constrained with future measurements of kinematic variables constructed using both outgoing lepton and nucleon kinematics
short range correlation” (SRC) are combined with 2p2h since they have similar kinematic properties and both are responsible for similar neutrino energy reconstruction bias

Summary

Introduction

Neutrino oscillations are measured at accelerator-based experiments by inferring the rate of interactions of a particular neutrino flavor, as a function of neutrino energy, at a detector placed some distance from the neutrino production point (the “far detector”). It is crucial to be able to estimate the bias and smearing of neutrino energy estimators due to nucleareffects in neutrino interactions [1]. To constrain systematic uncertainties in oscillation measurements, neutrino-beam experiments usually employ an additional detector placed close to the beam production point (the “near detector”), before any oscillation is expected to have occurred. Measurements at the near detector are used to constrain predictions at the far detector

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