Measurement of $\hat{I}{½}_{\hat{I}}¼$ Charged-Current Inclusive $\ddot{I}{€}^0$ Production in the NOvA Near Detector

Abstract

Cross sections for the interaction $\hat{I}{½}_{\hat{I}}¼A\to \hat{I}{¼}^{-}\ddot{I}{€}^{0}X$ with neutrino energies between 1 and 5~GeV are measured using a sample of 165k selected events collected in the NOvA experiment's Near Detector, a hydrocarbon-based detector exposed to the NuMI neutrino beam at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. Results are presented as a flux-averaged total cross section and as differential cross sections in the momenta and angles of the outgoing muon and $\ddot{I}{€}^0$, the total four-momentum transfer, and the invariant mass of the hadronic system. Comparisons are made with predictions from a reference version of the GENIE neutrino interaction generator. The measured total cross section of ($3.57\pm 0.44)\times 10^{-39}{\mathrm{cm}}^2$ is $7.5\%$ higher than the GENIE prediction but is consistent within experimental errors.