Uncertainties in Deep Inelastic Scattering for GeV-Scale Neutrinos Experiments
How the sensitivity of GeV-scale neutrino experiments like the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is affected by the large uncertainty of deep inelastic scattering between neutrino and argon nucleus.
This project was completed as the final assignment for PHYS6050GR: Particle Phenomenology at Department of Physics, Columbia University, instructed by Prof. Georgia Karagiorgi. [Overleaf project]
The cross-sections for deep inelastic scattering (DIS) of leptons on nuclei are calculated, with a focus on their systematic uncertainties and implications for $\mathcal{O}$(GeV) neutrino oscillation experiments. The calculation begins with quark-electron scattering via electromagnetic interactions and extends to neutrino-quark interactions. Using the quark-parton model, the structure functions governing these interactions are derived. The analysis highlights differences in cross-sections between charged and neutral leptons, illustrating the complexities of weak interactions. Approximations are discussed, emphasizing their validity at high momentum transfers, consistent with the asymptotic freedom of quantum chromodynamics. The persistence of large systematic uncertainties underscores the need for direct experimental measurements of DIS cross-sections and supports the critical role of the near-far detector configuration in the DUNE experiment.