Interpretation of the Neutrino-Nucleus Cross Section

Abstract

I discuss the near-degeneracy between models of neutrino-nucleus interactions based on diverse assumptions, and analyze a specific example illustrating how the different reaction mechanisms taken into account, as well as the approximations associated with their implementation, may conspire to make the prediction of two models look similar. I argue that the relevant reaction mechanisms may be unambiguously identified exploiting the availability of electron-nucleus scattering data other than inclusive cross sections, providing detailed information on the nuclear spectral function.