Alvarez-Ruso, L. et al, & Nieves, J. (2018). NuSTEC White Paper: Status and challenges of neutrino-nucleus scattering. Prog. Part. Nucl. Phys., 100, 1–68.
Abstract: The precise measurement of neutrino properties is among the highest priorities in fundamental particle physics, involving many experiments worldwide. Since the experiments rely on the interactions of neutrinos with bound nucleons inside atomic nuclei, the planned advances in the scope and precision of these experiments require a commensurate effort in the understanding and modeling of the hadronic and nuclear physics of these interactions, which is incorporated as a nuclear model in neutrino event generators. This model is essential to every phase of experimental analyses and its theoretical uncertainties play an important role in interpreting every result. In this White Paper we discuss in detail the impact of neutrino-nucleus interactions, especially the nuclear effects, on the measurement of neutrino properties using the determination of oscillation parameters as a central example. After an Executive Summary and a concise Overview of the issues, we explain how the neutrino event generators work, what can be learned from electron-nucleus interactions and how each underlying physics process – from quasi-elastic to deep inelastic scattering – is understood today. We then emphasize how our understanding must improve to meet the demands of future experiments. With every topic we find that the challenges can be met only with the active support and collaboration among specialists in strong interactions and electroweak physics that include theorists and experimentalists from both the nuclear and high energy physics communities.
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Bourguille, B., Nieves, J., & Sanchez, F. (2021). Inclusive and exclusive neutrino-nucleus cross sections and the reconstruction of the interaction kinematics. J. High Energy Phys., 04(4), 004–42pp.
Abstract: We present a full kinematic analysis of neutrino-nucleus charged current quasielastic interactions based on the Local Fermi Gas model and the Random Phase Approximation. The model was implemented in the NEUT Monte Carlo framework, which allows us to investigate potentially measurable observables, including hadron distributions. We compare the predictions simultaneously to the most recent T2K and MINERvA charged current (CC) inclusive, CC0 pi and transverse kinematic-imbalance variable results. We pursuit a microscopic interpretation of the relevant reaction mechanisms, with the aim to achieving in neutrino oscillation experiments a correct reconstruction of the incoming neutrino kinematics, free of conceptual biasses. Such study is of the utmost importance for the ambitious experimental program which is underway to precisely determine neutrino properties, test the three-generation paradigm, establish the order of mass eigenstates and investigate leptonic CP violation.
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Wang, E., Alvarez-Ruso, L., & Nieves, J. (2015). Single photon events from neutral current interactions at MiniBooNE. Phys. Lett. B, 740, 16–22.
Abstract: The MiniBooNE experiment has reported results from the analysis of v(e) and (v) over bar (e) appearance searches, which show an excess of signal-like events at low reconstructed neutrino energies, with respect to the expected background. A significant component of this background comes from photon emission induced by (anti) neutrino neutral current interactions with nucleons and nuclei. With an improved microscopic model for these reactions, we predict the number and distributions of photon events at the MiniBooNE detector. Our results are compared to the MiniBooNE in situ estimate and to other theoretical approaches. We find that, according to our model, neutral current photon emission from single-nucleon currents is insufficient to explain the events excess observed by MiniBooNE in both neutrino and antineutrino modes.
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Albertus, C., Hernandez, E., & Nieves, J. (2010). Hyperfine mixing in b -> c semileptonic decay of doubly heavy baryons. Phys. Lett. B, 683(1), 21–25.
Abstract: We qualitatively corroborate the results of [W. Roberts, M. Pervin, Int. J. Mod. Phys. A 24 (2009) 2401] according to which hyperfine mixing greatly affects the decay widths of b -> c semileptonic decays involving doubly heavy bc baryons. However, our predictions for the decay widths of the unmixed states differ from those reported in the work of Roberts and Pervin by a factor of 2, and this discrepancy translates to the mixed case. We further show that the predictions of heavy quark spin symmetry, might be used in the future to experimentally extract information on the admixtures in the actual physical bc baryons, in a model independent manner.
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Nieves, J., Pavao, R., & Tolos, L. (2020). Xi(c) and Xi(b) excited states within a SU(6)(lsf) x HQSS model. Eur. Phys. J. C, 80(1), 22–12pp.
Abstract: We study odd parity J = 1/2 and J = 3/2 Xi(c) resonances using a unitarized coupled-channel framework based on a SU(6)(lsf) xHQSS-extended Weinberg-Tomozawa baryon-meson interaction, while paying a special attention to the renormalization procedure. We predict a large molecular Lambda(c)(K) over bar component for the Xi(c) (2790) with a dominant 0(-) light-degree-of-freedom spin configuration. We discuss the differences between the 3/2(-) Lambda(c)(2625) and Xi(c)(2815) states, and conclude that they cannot be SU(3) siblings, whereas we predict the existence of other Xi(c)-states, one of them related to the two-pole structure of the Lambda(c)(2595). It is of particular interest a pair of J = 1/2 and J = 3/2 poles, which form a HQSS doublet and that we tentatively assign to the Xi(c)(2930) and Xi(c)(2970), respectively. Within this picture, the Xi(c)(2930) would be part of a SU(3) sextet, containing either the Omega(c)(3090) or the Omega(c)(3119), and that would be completed by the Sigma(c)(2800). Moreover, we identify a J = 1/2 sextet with the Xi(b)(6227) state and the recently discovered Sigma(b)(6097). Assuming the equal spacing rule and to complete this multiplet, we predict the existence of a J = 1/2 Omega(b) odd parity state, with a mass of 6360 MeV and that should be seen in the Xi(b) (K) over bar channel.
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