Accelerator neutrinos as a probe of in-medium hyperon potentials

Abstract

Charged-current (anti)neutrino interactions create $Λ$ and $Σ$ hyperons \emph{inside} the nucleus, making hyperon final-state interactions a terrestrial probe of the in-medium potentials that govern hyperon onset in neutron stars. In the StrangeMC simulation the trapped-$Λ$ fraction, escaping hyperon momenta, and a kaon-vetoed $Σ^+$ tag respond monotonically to $U_Λ$ and $U_Σ$ at SBND and DUNE. Marginalised over the low-density slope, a forecast gives $δU_Λ\approx6\MeV$ with systematics distinct from hypernuclear data; $U_Σ$ is limited by hyperon--nucleon cross sections.