Accelerator Neutrinos

Abstract:

Measurements of integrated and differential cross-sections for W±Z production in proton-proton collisions are presented. The data collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider from 2015 to 2018 at a centre-of-mass energy of s=13 TeV are used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb−1. The W±Z candidate events are reconstructed using leptonic decay modes of the gauge bosons into electrons or muons. The integrated cross-section per lepton flavour for the production of W±Z is measured in the detector fiducial region with a relative precision of 4%. The measured value is compared with the Standard Model prediction at a precision of up to next-to-next-to-leading-order in QCD and next-to-leading-order in electroweak. Cross-sections for W+Z and W−Z production and their ratio are presented. The W±Z production is also measured differentially as functions of various kinematic variables, including new observables sensitive to CP-violation effects. All measurements are compared with state-of-the-art Standard Model predictions from fixed-order calculations or Monte Carlo generators based on next-to-leading-order matrix elements interfaced with parton showers. An effective field theory interpretation of the measurements is performed, considering both CP-conserving and CP-violating dimension-6 operators modifying the W±Z production. In the absence of observed deviations from the Standard Model, limits on CP-conserving Wilson coefficients are extracted using the transverse mass of the W±Z system. For CP-violating coefficients a machine learning approach is used to construct an observable with enhanced sensitivity to CP-violation effects.

Abstract:

A search for events with one displaced vertex from long-lived particles using data collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider is presented, using $140{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13\mathrm{TeV}$ recorded in 2015–2018. The search employs techniques for reconstructing vertices of long-lived particles decaying into hadronic jets in the muon spectrometer displaced between 3 m and 14 m from the primary interaction vertex. The observed number of events is consistent with the expected background and limits for several benchmark signals are determined. A scalar-portal model and a Higgs-boson-portal baryogenesis model are considered. A dedicated analysis channel is employed to target Z-boson associated long-lived particle production, including an axionlike particle and a dark photon model. For the Higgs boson model, branching fractions above 1% are excluded at 95% confidence level for long-lived particle proper decay lengths ranging from 5 cm to 40 m. For the photophobic axionlike particle model considered, this search produces the strongest limits to date for proper decay lengths greater than $\mathcal{O}(10)\mathrm{cm}$ .

Abstract:

We report the measurement of the triple-differential cross section d 3 σ / d E vis d cos ( θ μ ) d P μ for inclusive muon-neutrino charged-current scattering on argon. This measurement utilizes data from 6.4 × 10 20 protons on target of exposure collected using the MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber located along the Fermilab Booster Neutrino Beam with a mean neutrino energy of approximately 0.8 GeV. The mapping from reconstructed kinematics to truth quantities is validated within uncertainties by comparing the distribution of reconstructed hadronic energy in data to that of the model prediction in different muon scattering angle bins after applying a conditional constraint from the muon momentum distribution in data. The success of this validation provides confidence that the energy transfer in the MicroBooNE detector is well-modeled within simulation uncertainties, enabling a reliable unfolding to a triple-differential cross section defined at the nominal neutrino flux over muon momentum, muon scattering angle, and visible neutrino energy. This validation not only supports accurate cross-section extraction, but also establishes a critical foundation for tuning interaction models used in future neutrino oscillation measurements. The unfolded measurement covers an extensive phase space, providing a wealth of information useful for future liquid argon time projection chamber experiments measuring neutrino oscillations. Comparisons against a number of commonly used model predictions are included and their performance in different parts of the available phase-space is discussed.

Abstract:

Since its first observation in the 1970s, neutrino-induced neutral-current single positive pion production ( $\mathrm{NC}1{\pi }^{+}$ ) has remained an elusive and poorly understood interaction channel. This process is a significant background in neutrino oscillation experiments and studying it further is critical for the physics program of next-generation accelerator-based neutrino oscillation experiments. In this Letter, we present the first double-differential cross-section measurement of $\mathrm{NC}1{\pi }^{+}$ interactions using data from the ND280 detector of the T2K experiment collected in $\nu$ -beam mode. The measured flux-averaged integrated cross section is $\sigma =(6.07\pm 1.22)\times {10}^{-41}{\mathrm{cm}}^2/\text{nucleon}$ . We compare the results on a hydrocarbon target to the predictions of several neutrino interaction generators and final-state-interaction models. While model predictions agree with the differential results, the data show a weak preference for a cross-section normalization approximately 30% higher than predicted by most models studied in this Letter.

Abstract:

The T2K Collaboration presents the first measurement of electron neutrino-induced charged-current pion production on a predominantly carbon target in a restricted kinematical phase space. This is performed using data from the 2.5° off-axis near detector, ND280. The differential cross sections with respect to the outgoing electron and pion kinematics, in addition to the total flux-integrated cross section, are obtained. Comparisons between the measured and predicted cross-section results using the eut, enie, and uro Monte Carlo event generators are presented. The measured total flux-integrated cross section is $[2.52\pm 0.52(\mathrm{stat})\pm 0.30(\mathrm{syst})]\times {10}^{-39}{\mathrm{cm}}^2{\text{nucleon}}^{-1}$ , which is lower than the event generator predictions.