Single neutral pion production by charged-current $bar{ u}_mu$ interactions on hydrocarbon at $langle E_ u rangle = $ 3.6 GeV


Abstract in English

Single neutral pion production via muon antineutrino charged-current interactions in plastic scintillator (CH) is studied using the minerva detector exposed to the NuMI low-energy, wideband antineutrino beam at Fermilab. Measurement of this process constrains models of neutral pion production in nuclei, which is important because the neutral-current analog is a background for $bar{ u}_e$ appearance oscillation experiments. The differential cross sections for $pi^0$ momentum and production angle, for events with a single observed $pi^0$ and no charged pions, are presented and compared to model predictions. These results comprise the first measurement of the $pi^0$ kinematics for this process.

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