Neutrino event generators: foundation, status and future

Abstract

Neutrino event generators are an essential tool needed for the extraction of neutrino mixing parameters, the mass hierarchy and a CP violating phase from long-baseline experiments. In this article I first describe the theoretical basis and the approximations needed to get to present-days generators. I also discuss the strengths and limitations of theoretical models used to describe semi-inclusive neutrino-nucleus reactions. I then confront present day's generators with this theoretical basis by detailed discussions of the various reaction processes. Finally, as examples I then show for various experiments results of the generator GiBUU for lepton semi-inclusive cross sections as well as particle spectra. I also discuss features of these cross sections in terms of the various reaction components, with predictions for DUNE. Finally, I argue for the need for a new neutrino generator that respects our present-day knowledge of both nuclear theory and nuclear reactions and is as much state-of-the-art as the experimental equipment. I outline some necessary requirements for such a new generator.

arXiv commentTopical Review, accepted for publication in Journals of Physics G

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• First T2K measurement of transverse kinematic imbalance in the muon-neutrino charged-current single-${\pi }^{+}$ production channel containing at least one proton
• Nuclear Theory and Event Generators for Charge-Changing Neutrino Reactions
• Inclusive and exclusive neutrino-nucleus cross sections and the reconstruction of the interaction kinematics
• First double-differential measurement of kinematic imbalance in neutrino interactions with the MicroBooNE detector
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• Neutrino Interactions with Matter and the MiniBooNE anomaly
• The impact of neutrino-nucleus interaction modeling on new physics searches
• Inclusive cross section measurements in final states with and without protons for charged-current ${\nu }_{\mu }$-Ar scattering in MicroBooNE
• Theoretical tools for neutrino scattering: interplay between lattice QCD, EFTs, nuclear physics, phenomenology, and neutrino event generators
• First simultaneous measurement of differential muon-neutrino charged-current cross sections on argon for final states with and without protons using MicroBooNE data
• Observation of azimuth-dependent suppression of hadron pairs in electron scattering off nuclei
• Modelling Heavy Neutral Leptons in Accelerator Beamlines
• Running axial mass of the nucleon as a phenomenological tool for calculating QE neutrino-nucleus cross sections
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• First Measurement of Differential Cross Sections for Muon Neutrino Charged Current Interactions on Argon with a Two-proton Final State in the MicroBooNE Detector
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