In the realm of energy research, understanding the interactions between neutrinos and atomic nuclei is crucial for advancing neutrino detection technologies, which have applications in nuclear non-proliferation and reactor monitoring. Researchers Jake McKean, Laura Munteanu, and Seisho Abe from the University of Rochester have recently published a study in the journal Physical Review D that sheds light on this complex interplay.
The team examined three nuclear ground state shell models implemented in the NEUT neutrino event generator. They benchmarked these models against the recent JSNS² (J-PARC Sterile Neutrino Search at J-PARC Spallation Neutron Source) measurement of missing energy using a monoenergetic neutrino source. The unique nature of this measurement allowed for a detailed investigation of nuclear ground-state modeling using a neutrino source and provided access to a direct measurement of the neutron spectral function in a carbon-12 nucleus.
The researchers used the NEUT intranuclear cascade and nuclear deexcitation (NucDeEx) to simulate inelastic final-state interactions and nuclear deexcitations, respectively. Their findings indicated that the spectral function (SF) models outperformed relativistic mean field models in accurately representing both the ground state and the tail of the missing energy distribution. This was particularly evident when the NEUT cascade and nuclear excitation channels were activated.
Moreover, the study revealed that accounting for the missing energy threshold for single nucleon knockout interactions resulted in all nuclear models being accepted based on the obtained p-values. This suggests that considering this threshold is essential for accurate modeling and interpretation of neutrino-nucleus interactions.
The practical applications of this research for the energy sector are significant. Improved understanding and modeling of neutrino-nucleus interactions can enhance the development of advanced neutrino detectors. These detectors can be employed for nuclear reactor monitoring, ensuring safety and efficiency, and for nuclear non-proliferation efforts, helping to detect and deter the illicit use of nuclear materials. The research was published in Physical Review D, a prestigious journal in the field of particle physics.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.