Constraining the NuMI neutrino flux using inverse muon decay reactions in MINERvA

Abstract

Inverse muon decay, $\hat{I}{½}_{\hat{I}}¼e^{-}\to \hat{I}{¼}^{-}\hat{I}{½}_e$, is a reaction whose cross-section can be predicted with very small uncertainties. It has a neutrino energy threshold of $\approx 11$ GeV and can be used to constrain the high-energy part of the flux in the NuMI neutrino beam. This reaction is the dominant source of events which only contain high-energy muons nearly parallel to the direction of the neutrino beam. We have isolated a sample of hundreds of such events in neutrino and anti-neutrino enhanced beams, and have constrained the predicted high-energy flux.

9 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Physical Review D. Minor corrections and clarifications