Hadron production measurement from NA61/SHINE

Abstract

New results of NA61/SHINE on determination of charged hadron yields in proton-carbon interactions are presented. They aim to improve predictions of the neutrino flux in the T2K experiment. The data were recorded using a secondary-proton beam of 31 GeV/$c$ momentum from CERN SPS which impinges on a graphite target. To determine the inclusive production cross section for charged pions, kaons and protons the thin ($0.04\, \lambda_I$) target was exploited. Results of this measurement are used in the T2K beam simulation program to reweight hadron yields in the interaction vertex. At the same time, NA61/SHINE results obtained with the T2K replica target ($1.9\, \lambda_I$) allow to constrain hadron yields at the surface of the target. It would correspond to the constraint up to 90% of the neutrino flux, thus reducing significantly a model dependence of the neutrino beam prediction. All measured spectra are compared to predictions of hadron production models. In addition a status of the analysis of data collected by NA61/SHINE for the NuMI target (Fermilab) is reviewed. These data will be used further in neutrino beam calculations for the MINERvA, MINOS(+) and LBNE experiments.