Modeling Quasi-elastic Form Factors for Electron and Neutrino Scattering

Abstract

We calculate the total and differential quasielastic cross sections for neutrino and antineutrino scattering on nucleons using up to date fits to the nucleon elastic electromagnetic form factors $G_E^p$, $G_E^n$, $G_M^p$, $G_M^n$, and weak and pseudoscalar form factors. We find that using the updated non-zero value of $G_E^n$ has a significant effect on both the total and differential neutrino and antineutrino quasielastic cross sections. Previous extractions of the weak axial form factor from neutrino scattering data are sensitive to the assumptions that were used for the vector form factors. We perform a re-analysis of previous neutrino data using updated form factors and obtain updated value of the axial vector mass.