Analysis of flux-integrated cross sections for quasi-elastic neutrino charged-current scattering off $^{12}$C at MiniBooNE energies

Abstract

Flux-averaged and flux-integrated cross sections for quasi-elastic neutrino charged-current scattering on nucleus are analyzed. It is shown that the flux-integrated differential cross sections are nuclear model-independent. We calculate these cross sections using the relativistic distorted-wave impulse approximation and relativistic Fermi gas model with the Booster Neutrino Beamline flux and compare results with the recent MiniBooNE experiment data. Within these models an axial mass $M_A$ is extracted from a fit of the measured $d\sigma/dQ^2$ cross section. The extracted value of $M_A$ is consistent with the MiniBooNE result. The measured and calculated double differential cross sections $d\sigma/dTd\cos\theta$ generally agree within the error of the experiment. But the Fermi gas model predictions are completely off of the data in the region of low muon energies and scattering angles.