Nuclear Target Cross Section Ratios at MINERvA

Abstract

Measurements of $\nu_{\mu}$ inclusive charged-current cross section ratios on carbon, iron, and lead relative to scintillator are presented. Data for the analysis were collected by the fine-grained MINERvA detector in the NuMI beamline at Fermilab. This is the first direct measurement of nuclear dependence in neutrino scattering. The ratios show a depletion at low Bjorken $x$ and enhancement at large $x$, both of which increase with the nucleon number of the target. The data exhibit trends not found in GENIE, a standard neutrino-nucleus event generator, or alternative models of nuclear modification to inelastic structure functions.