Measurement of 𝜈𝜇 charged-current inclusive 𝜋0 production in the NOvA near detector

Abstract

Cross sections for the interaction 𝜈𝜇⁢𝐴 →𝜇−⁢𝜋0⁢𝑋 with neutrino energies between 1 and 5 GeV are measured using a sample of 165,000 selected events collected in the NOvA experiment’s near detector, a hydrocarbon-based detector exposed to the Neutrinos from the Main Injector beam at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. Results are presented as a flux-averaged total cross section and as differential cross sections in the momenta and angles of the outgoing muon and 𝜋0, the total four-momentum transfer, and the invariant mass of the hadronic system. Comparisons are made with predictions from a reference version of the genie neutrino interaction generator. The measured total cross section of (3.57 ±0.44)×10−39 cm2 is 7.5% higher than the genie prediction, but is consistent within experimental errors.