| Title: |
First measurement of the strange axial coupling constant using neutral-current quasielastic interactions of atmospheric neutrinos at KamLAND |
| Authors: |
KamLAND Collaboration, Abe, S., Asami, S., Eizuka, M., Futagi, S., Gando, A., Gando, Y., Gima, T., Goto, A., Hachiya, T., Hata, K., Ichimura, K., Ieki, S., Ikeda, H., Inoue, K., Ishidoshiro, K., Kamei, Y., Kawada, N., Kishimoto, Y., Koga, M., Kurasawa, M., Mitsui, T., Miyake, H., Nakahata, T., Nakamura, K., Nakamura, R., Ozaki, H., Sakai, T., Shimizu, I., Shirai, J., Shiraishi, K., Suzuki, A., Suzuki, Y., Takeuchi, A., Tamae, K., Watanabe, H., Yoshida, Y., Obara, S., Ichikawa, A. K., Yoshida, S., Umehara, S., Fushimi, K., Kotera, K., Urano, Y., Berger, B. E., Fujikawa, B. K., Learned, J. G., Maricic, J., Axani, S. N., Fu, Z., Smolsky, J., Winslow, L. A., Efremenko, Y., Karwowski, H. J., Markoff, D. M., Tornow, W., Detwiler, J. A., Enomoto, S., Decowski, M. P., Grant, C., Li, A., Song, H., Dell'Oro, S., O'Donnell, T. |
| Source: |
Phys. Rev. D 107,072006 (2023) |
| Publication Year: |
2022 |
| Collection: |
High Energy Physics - Experiment |
| Subject Terms: |
High Energy Physics - Experiment |
| More Details: |
We report a measurement of the strange axial coupling constant $g_A^s$ using atmospheric neutrino data at KamLAND. This constant is a component of the axial form factor of the neutral-current quasielastic (NCQE) interaction. The value of $g_A^s$ significantly changes the ratio of proton and neutron NCQE cross sections. KamLAND is suitable for measuring NCQE interactions as it can detect nucleon recoils with low-energy thresholds and measure neutron multiplicity with high efficiency. KamLAND data, including the information on neutron multiplicity associated with the NCQE interactions, makes it possible to measure $g_A^s$ with a suppressed dependence on the axial mass $M_A$, which has not yet been determined. For a comprehensive prediction of the neutron emission associated with neutrino interactions, we establish a simulation of particle emission via nuclear deexcitation of $^{12}$C, a process not considered in existing neutrino Monte Carlo event generators. Energy spectrum fitting for each neutron multiplicity gives $g_A^s =-0.14^{+0.25}_{-0.26}$, which is the most stringent limit obtained using NCQE interactions without $M_A$ constraints. The two-body current contribution considered in this analysis relies on a theoretically effective model and electron scattering experiments and requires future verification by direct measurements and future model improvement. |
| Document Type: |
Working Paper |
| DOI: |
10.1103/PhysRevD.107.072006 |
| Access URL: |
http://arxiv.org/abs/2211.13911 |
| Accession Number: |
edsarx.2211.13911 |
| Database: |
arXiv |
