- Open Access
Measurement of charged-current muon neutrino-argon interactions without pions in the final state using the MicroBooNE detector
Phys. Rev. D 112, 072007 – Published 17 October, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/xfs2-94m3
Abstract
We report a new measurement of flux-integrated differential cross sections for charged-current (CC) muon neutrino interactions with argon nuclei that produce no final-state pions (). These interactions are of particular importance as a topologically defined signal dominated by quasielasticlike interactions. This measurement was performed with the MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber detector located at the Fermilab Booster Neutrino Beam and uses an exposure of protons on target collected between 2015 and 2020. The results are presented in terms of single- and double-differential cross sections as a function of the final-state muon momentum and angle. The data are compared with widely used neutrino event generators. We find good agreement with the single-differential measurements, while only a subset of generators are also able to adequately describe the data in double-differential distributions. This work facilitates comparison with Cherenkov detector measurements, including those located at the Booster Neutrino Beam.
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Article Text
Supplemental Material
References (79)
- G. C. Branco, R. G. Felipe, and F. R. Joaquim, Leptonic violation, Rev. Mod. Phys. 84, 515 (2012).
- P. F. De Salas, S. Gariazzo, O. Mena, C. A. Ternes, and M. Tórtola, Neutrino mass ordering from oscillations and beyond: 2018 status and future prospects, Front. Astron. Space Sci. 5, 36 (2018).
- R. Acciarri et al. (MicroBooNE Collaborations, LAr1-ND Collaborations, and ICARUS-WA104 Collaborations), A proposal for a three detector short-baseline neutrino oscillation program in the Fermilab Booster Neutrino Beam, arXiv:1503.01520.
- P. A. Machado, O. Palamara, and D. W. Schmitz, The short-baseline neutrino program at Fermilab, Annu. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. 69, 363 (2019).
- B. Abi et al. (DUNE Collaboration), Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), Far detector technical design report, Volume II: DUNE physics, arXiv:2002.03005.
- B. Abi et al. (DUNE Collaboration), Long-baseline neutrino oscillation physics potential of the DUNE experiment, Eur. Phys. J. C 80, 978 (2020).
- B. Abi et al. (DUNE Collaboration), Prospects for beyond the standard model physics searches at the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, Eur. Phys. J. C 81, 322 (2021).
- B. Abi et al. (DUNE Collaboration), Supernova neutrino burst detection with the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, Eur. Phys. J. C 81, 423 (2021).
- K. Abe et al. (T2K Collaboration), The T2K experiment, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., Sect. A 659, 106 (2011).
- K. Abe et al. (T2K Collaboration), Constraint on the matter–antimatter symmetry-violating phase in neutrino oscillations, Nature (London) 580, 339 (2020); 583, E16(E) (2020).
- K. Abe et al. (Hyper-Kamiokande Collaboration), Hyper-Kamiokande design report, arXiv:1805.04163.
- K. Abe et al. (Hyper-Kamiokande Proto-Collaboration), Physics potential of a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment using a J-PARC neutrino beam and Hyper-Kamiokande, Prog. Theor. Exp. Phys. 2015, 53C02 (2015).
- M. Askins et al. (Theia Collaboration), THEIA: An advanced optical neutrino detector, Eur. Phys. J. C 80, 416 (2020).
- I. Anghel et al. (ANNIE Collaboration), Letter of intent: The accelerator neutrino neutron interaction experiment (ANNIE), arXiv:1504.01480.
- A. R. Back et al. (ANNIE Collaboration), Accelerator Neutrino Neutron Interaction Experiment (ANNIE): Preliminary results and physics phase proposal, arXiv:1707.08222.
- P. Abratenko et al. (MicroBooNE Collaboration), Measurement of double-differential cross sections for mesonless charged-current muon neutrino interactions on argon with final-state protons using the MicroBooNE detector, arXiv:2403.19574.
- P. Abratenko et al. (MicroBooNE Collaboration), Measurement of nuclear effects in neutrino-argon interactions using generalized kinematic imbalance variables with the MicroBooNE detector, Phys. Rev. D 109, 092007 (2024).
- P. Abratenko et al. (MicroBooNE Collaboration), Multidifferential cross section measurements of -argon quasi-elastic-like reactions with the MicroBooNE detector, Phys. Rev. D 108, 053002 (2023).
- P. Abratenko et al. (MicroBooNE), Measurement of differential cross sections for -Ar charged-current interactions with protons and no pions in the final state with the MicroBooNE detector, Phys. Rev. D 102, 112013 (2020).
- P. Abratenko et al. (MicroBooNE), First double-differential measurement of kinematic imbalance in neutrino interactions with the MicroBooNE detector, Phys. Rev. Lett. 131, 101802 (2023).
- W. Tang, X. Li, X. Qian, H. Wei, and C. Zhang, Data unfolding with Wiener-SVD method, J. Instrum. 12, P10002 (2017).
- R. Acciarri et al. (MicroBooNE Collaboration), Design and construction of the MicroBooNE detector, J. Instrum. 12, P02017 (2017).
- A. A. Aguilar-Arevalo et al. (MiniBooNE Collaboration), The neutrino flux prediction at MiniBooNE, Phys. Rev. D 79, 072002 (2009).
- L. Alvarez-Ruso et al. (GENIE Collaboration), Recent highlights from geniev3, Eur. Phys. J. Special Topics 230, 4449 (2021).
- C. Andreopoulos et al., The genie neutrino Monte Carlo generator, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., Sect. A 614, 87 (2010).
- C. Andreopoulos, C. Barry, S. Dytman, H. Gallagher, T. Golan, R. Hatcher, G. Perdue, and J. Yarba, The genie neutrino Monte Carlo generator: Physics and user manual, arXiv:1510.05494.
- J. Tena-Vidal et al. (GENIE Collaboration), Neutrino-nucleon cross-section model tuning in geniev3, Phys. Rev. D 104, 072009 (2021).
- J. Nieves, I. Ruiz Simo, and M. J. Vicente Vacas, Inclusive charged–current neutrino–nucleus reactions, Phys. Rev. C 83, 045501 (2011).
- J. Nieves, J. E. Amaro, and M. Valverde, Inclusive quasi-elastic neutrino reactions, Phys. Rev. C 70, 055503 (2004); 72, 019902(E) (2005).
- J. Nieves, F. Sanchez, I. Ruiz Simo, and M. J. Vicente Vacas, Neutrino energy reconstruction and the shape of the CCQE-like total cross section, Phys. Rev. D 85, 113008 (2012).
- R. Gran, J. Nieves, F. Sanchez, and M. J. Vicente Vacas, Neutrino-nucleus quasi-elastic and 2p2h interactions up to 10 GeV, Phys. Rev. D 88, 113007 (2013).
- L. A. Copley, G. Karl, and E. Obryk, Electroproduction from nucleons in a relativistic quark model, Phys. Rev. D 4, 2844 (1971).
- C. Berger and L. M. Sehgal, Lepton mass effects in single pion production by neutrinos, Phys. Rev. D 76, 113004 (2007).
- K. M. Graczyk and J. T. Sobczyk, Form factors in the quark resonance model, Phys. Rev. D 77, 053001 (2008); 79, 079903(E) (2009).
- J. A. Nowak (MiniBooNE Collaboration), Four momentum transfer discrepancy in the charged current production in the MiniBooNE: Data vs. theory, AIP Conf. Proc. 1189, 243 (2009).
- K. S. Kuzmin, V. V. Lyubushkin, and V. A. Naumov, Lepton polarization in neutrino nucleon interactions, Mod. Phys. Lett. A 19, 2815 (2004).
- D. Rein and L. M. Sehgal, Neutrino excitation of baryon resonances and single pion production, Ann. Phys. (N.Y.) 133, 79 (1981).
- C. Berger and L. M. Sehgal, PCAC and coherent pion production by low energy neutrinos, Phys. Rev. D 79, 053003 (2009).
- A. Bodek and U. k. Yang, Modeling neutrino and electron scattering cross-sections in the few GeV region with effective LO PDFs, AIP Conf. Proc. 670, 110 (2003).
- A. Bodek, I. Park, and U. k. Yang, Improved low model for neutrino and electron nucleon cross sections in few GeV region, Nucl. Phys. B, Proc. Suppl. 139, 113 (2005).
- A. Bodek and U. k. Yang, NUFACT09 update to the Bodek-Yang unified model for electron- and neutrino- nucleon scattering cross sections, AIP Conf. Proc. 1222, 233 (2010).
- S. Dytman, Y. Hayato, R. Raboanary, J. T. Sobczyk, J. Tena Vidal, and N. Vololoniaina, Comparison of validation methods of simulations for final state interactions in hadron production experiments, Phys. Rev. D 104, 053006 (2021).
- K. Abe et al. (T2K Collaboration), Measurement of double-differential muon neutrino charged-current interactions on without pions in the final state using the T2K off-axis beam, Phys. Rev. D 93, 112012 (2016).
- P. Abratenko et al. (MicroBooNE Collaboration), New genie model tune for MicroBooNE, Phys. Rev. D 105, 072001 (2022).
- S. Agostinelli et al. (GEANT4 Collaboration), geant4—A simulation toolkit, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., Sect. A 506, 250 (2003).
- J. Allison et al., Recent developments in geant4, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., Sect. A 835, 186 (2016).
- E. L. Snider and G. Petrillo, LArSoft: Toolkit for simulation, reconstruction and analysis of liquid Argon TPC neutrino detectors, J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 898, 042057 (2017).
- C. Adams et al. (MicroBooNE Collaboration), Ionization electron signal processing in single phase LArTPCs. Part I. Algorithm description and quantitative evaluation with MicroBooNE simulation, J. Instrum. 13, P07006 (2018).
- C. Adams et al. (MicroBooNE Collaboration), Ionization electron signal processing in single phase LArTPCs. Part II. Data/simulation comparison and performance in MicroBooNE, J. Instrum. 13, P07007 (2018).
- C. Adams et al. (MicroBooNE Collaboration), A method to determine the electric field of liquid argon time projection chambers using a UV laser system and its application in MicroBooNE, J. Instrum. 15, P07010 (2020).
- P. Abratenko et al. (MicroBooNE Collaboration), Measurement of space charge effects in the MicroBooNE LArTPC using cosmic muons, J. Instrum. 15, P12037 (2020).
- C. Adams et al. (MicroBooNE Collaboration), Rejecting cosmic background for exclusive charged current quasi elastic neutrino interaction studies with Liquid Argon TPCs; A case study with the MicroBooNE detector, Eur. Phys. J. C 79, 673 (2019).
- R. Acciarri et al. (MicroBooNE Collaboration), The pandora multi-algorithm approach to automated pattern recognition of cosmic-ray muon and neutrino events in the MicroBooNE detector, Eur. Phys. J. C 78, 82 (2018).
- P. Abratenko et al. (MicroBooNE Collaboration), Determination of muon momentum in the MicroBooNE LArTPC using an improved model of multiple Coulomb scattering, J. Instrum. 12, P10010 (2017).
- P. Abratenko et al. (MicroBooNE Collaboration), Calorimetric classification of track-like signatures in liquid argon TPCs using MicroBooNE data, J. High Energy Phys. 12 (2021) 153.
- T. Chen and C. Guestrin, XGBoost: A scalable tree boosting system, arXiv:1603.02754.
- See Supplemental Material at http://link.aps.org/supplemental/10.1103/xfs2-94m3 for details regarding the binning, bin migration, and smearing matrices, which includes Refs. [28,42,58,59,60–72].
- T. Golan, J. T. Sobczyk, and J. Zmuda, nuwro: The Wroclaw Monte Carlo generator of neutrino interactions, Nucl. Phys. B, Proc. Suppl. 229–232, 499 (2012).
- Y. Hayato and L. Pickering, The neut neutrino interaction simulation program library, Eur. Phys. J. Special Topics 230, 4469 (2021).
- R. Bradford, A. Bodek, H. S. Budd, and J. Arrington, A New parameterization of the nucleon elastic form-factors, Nucl. Phys. B, Proc. Suppl. 159, 127 (2006).
- A. Bodek, S. Avvakumov, R. Bradford, and H. S. Budd, Vector and axial nucleon form factors: A duality constrained parameterization, Eur. Phys. J. C 53, 349 (2008).
- O. Benhar, A. Fabrocini, S. Fantoni, and I. Sick, Spectral function of finite nuclei and scattering of GeV electrons, Nucl. Phys. A579, 493 (1994).
- T. Golan, C. Juszczak, and J. T. Sobczyk, Final state interactions effects in neutrino-nucleus interactions, Phys. Rev. C 86, 015505 (2012).
- T. Leitner, L. Alvarez-Ruso, and U. Mosel, Charged current neutrino nucleus interactions at intermediate energies, Phys. Rev. C 73, 065502 (2006).
- B. Blaettel, V. Koch, and U. Mosel, Transport theoretical analysis of relativistic heavy ion collisions, Rep. Prog. Phys. 56, 1 (1993).
- T. Sjostrand, S. Mrenna, and P. Z. Skands, PYTHIA 6.4 physics and manual, J. High Energy Phys. 05 (2006) 026.
- U. Mosel and K. Gallmeister, Lepton-induced reactions on nuclei in a wide kinematical regime, Phys. Rev. D 109, 033008 (2024).
- U. Mosel, Neutrino event generators: foundation, status and future, J. Phys. G 46, 113001 (2019).
- A. S. Meyer, M. Betancourt, R. Gran, and R. J. Hill, Deuterium target data for precision neutrino-nucleus cross sections, Phys. Rev. D 93, 113015 (2016).
- J. Schwehr, D. Cherdack, and R. Gran, genie implementation of IFIC Valencia model for QE-like 2p2h neutrino-nucleus cross section, arXiv:1601.02038.
- J. Gonzalez-Rosa, G. D. Megias, J. A. Caballero, and M. B. Barbaro, SuSAv2 model for inelastic neutrino-nucleus scattering, Phys. Rev. D 105, 093009 (2022).
- C. H. Llewellyn Smith, Neutrino reactions at accelerator energies, Phys. Rep. 3, 261 (1972).
- S. Gardiner, Mathematical methods for neutrino cross-section extraction, arXiv:2401.04065.
- J. Calcutt, C. Thorpe, K. Mahn, and L. Fields, geant4reweight: A framework for evaluating and propagating hadronic interaction uncertainties in geant4, J. Instrum. 16, P08042 (2021).
- C. Adams et al. (MicroBooNE Collaboration), Calibration of the charge and energy loss per unit length of the MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber using muons and protons, J. Instrum. 15, P03022 (2020).
- P. Abratenko et al. (MicroBooNE Collaboration), Novel approach for evaluating detector-related uncertainties in a LArTPC using MicroBooNE data, Eur. Phys. J. C 82, 454 (2022).
- P. Abratenko et al. (MicroBooNE Collaboration), Inclusive cross section measurements in final states with and without protons for charged-current -Ar scattering in MicroBooNE, Phys. Rev. D 110, 013006 (2024).
- O. Buss, T. Gaitanos, K. Gallmeister, H. van Hees, M. Kaskulov, O. Lalakulich, A. B. Larionov, T. Leitner, J. Weil, and U. Mosel, Transport-theoretical description of nuclear reactions, Phys. Rep. 512, 1 (2012).
- P. Stowell et al., nuisance: A neutrino cross-section generator tuning and comparison framework, J. Instrum. 12, P01016 (2017).