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First measurement of neutron capture multiplicity in neutrino-oxygen neutral-current quasielasticlike interactions using an accelerator neutrino beam

ContributorsT2K collab.
Published inPhysical review. D., vol. 112, no. 3, 032003
Publication date2025
First online date2025-08-06
Abstract

We report the first measurement of neutron capture multiplicity in neutrino-oxygen neutral-current quasielasticlike interactions at the gadolinium-loaded Super-Kamiokande detector using the T2K neutrino beam, which has a peak energy of about 0.6 GeV. A total of 30 neutral-current quasielasticlike event candidates were selected from T2K data corresponding to an exposure of 1.76×1020 protons on target. The γ ray signals resulting from neutron captures were identified using a neural network. The flux-averaged mean neutron capture multiplicity was measured to be 1.37±0.33 (stat.)-0.27+0.17 (syst.), which is compatible within 2.3 sigma than predictions obtained using our nominal simulation. We discuss potential sources of systematic uncertainty in the prediction and demonstrate that a significant portion of this discrepancy arises from the modeling of hadron-nucleus interactions in the detector medium.

Funding
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science [JP16H06288]
  • Nemzeti Kutatási Fejlesztési és Innovációs Hivatal [NKFIH 137812]
  • Ministerstwo Edukacji i Nauki [2023/WK/04]
  • Narodowe Centrum Nauki [UMO-2018/30/E/ST2/00441]
  • Russian Science Foundation [RSF 24-12-00271]
  • Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación [PID2022-136297NB-I00]
  • University of the East [PID2021-124050NB-C31]
  • Consejería de Economía, Innovación, Ciencia y Empleo, Junta de Andalucía [FQM160]
  • NextGenerationEU [PRTR-C17.I1]
  • Centres de Recerca de Catalunya
  • Universidad de Sevilla [VIIPPIT-2023-V.4]
  • European Social Fund Plus [2022FI_B 00336]
  • National Foundation for Science and Technology Development [103.99-2023.144,IZVSZ2.203433]
  • National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center [vHEP-ERCAP0028625]
  • ’la Caixa’ Foundation [100010434]
  • H2020 European Research Council [RISE-GA822070-JENNIFER2 2020]
  • Agence Nationale de la Recherche [ANR-19-CE31-0001]
  • Stavros Niarchos Foundation [PCEFP2_203261]
  • Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology [QTJP01.02/20-22]
  • ICRR’s Inter-University Research Program [FY2023]
  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft - Search for CP violation in neutrino oscillations with the experiment T2K-II [397763730]
  • Swiss National Science Foundation - TOWARDS THE IMPROVEMENT OF NEUTRINO OSCILLATION MEASUREMENTS: T2K AND THE JAPANESE PROGRAM [185012]
  • European Commission - Innovative doctoral programme for talented early-stage researchers in Spanish host organisations excellent in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). [713673]
  • Swiss National Science Foundation - Experimental Particle and Astroparticle Physics Beyond The Standard Model [188533]
Citation (ISO format)
T2K collab. First measurement of neutron capture multiplicity in neutrino-oxygen neutral-current quasielasticlike interactions using an accelerator neutrino beam. In: Physical review. D., 2025, vol. 112, n° 3, p. 032003. doi: 10.1103/qh28-4znk
Main files (1)
Article (Published version)
Identifiers
Additional URL for this publicationhttps://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/qh28-4znk
Journal ISSN2470-0010
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