European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields (Dec 2021)

Running axial mass of the nucleon as a phenomenological tool for calculating quasielastic neutrino–nucleus cross sections

  • Igor D. Kakorin,
  • Konstantin S. Kuzmin,
  • Vadim A. Naumov

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09945-5
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 81, no. 12
pp. 1 – 59

Abstract

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Abstract We suggest an empirical rule-of-thumb for calculating the cross sections of charged-current quasielastic (CCQE) and CCQE-like interactions of neutrinos and antineutrinos with nuclei. The approach is based on the standard relativistic Fermi-gas model and on the notion of neutrino energy dependent axial-vector mass of the nucleon, governed by a couple of adjustable parameters, one of which is the conventional charged-current axial-vector mass. The inelastic background contributions and final-state interactions are therewith simulated using GENIE 3 neutrino event generator. An extensive comparison of our calculations with earlier and current accelerator CCQE and CCQE-like data for different nuclear targets shows good or at least qualitative overall agreement over a wide energy range. We also discuss some problematical issues common to several competing contemporary models of the CCQE (anti)neutrino–nucleus scattering and to the current neutrino interaction generators.