First Search for the EMC Effect and Nuclear Shadowing in Neutrino Nuclear Deep Inelastic Scattering at MINERvA

Front Cover
Springer, Oct 21, 2016 - Science - 147 pages
This thesis details significant improvements in the understanding of the nuclear EMC effect and nuclear shadowing in neutrino physics, and makes substantial comparisons with electron scattering physics. Specifically, it includes the first systematic study of the EMC ratios of carbon, iron and lead to plastic scintillator of neutrinos. The analysis presented provides the best evidence to date that the EMC effect is similar between electrons and neutrinos within the sensitivity of the data. Nuclear shadowing is measured systematically for the first time with neutrinos. In contrast with the data on the EMC effect, the data on nuclear shadowing support the conclusion that nuclear shadowing may be stronger for neutrinos than it is for electrons. This conclusion points to interesting new nuclear physics.
 

Contents

1 Introduction
1
2 Theory
15
3 Event Simulation
29
4 Neutrino Beamline
33
5 The MINERνA Detector and Simulation
43
6 Event Reconstruction
57
7 Overview of the Measurement
70
8 Event Selection and Efficiency
73
9 Backgrounds
81
10 Systematic Uncertainties
105
11 Reconstructed and Unfolded Event Yields
111
12 Efficiency Correction and Flux Division
133
13 Cross Section Results
137
14 Conclusions
144
Biographical Sketch
146
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

About the author (2016)

Joel Mousseau earned his Bachelor of Science with an honors concentration in physics and a minor in mathematics from the University of Michigan in 2007. He was awarded a Master of Science from the University of Florida in 2009, and finally his Doctor of Philosophy in physics from the University of Florida in 2015.

Bibliographic information