Inclusive and exclusive electron scattering data analysis from Jefferson Lab experiment E12-14-012

Since the first observations of neutrino oscillation, neutrino experiments have come a long way toward precise measurements of the neutrino oscillation parameters, but some obstacles still remain. The next generation of oscillation experiments, including the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), will be using the Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LArTPCs) with natural argon as the neutrino target material. A precise model of the neutrino cross section on argon does not exist, which is a source of significant uncertainty in such experiments. The E12-14-012 experiment at Jefferson Lab seeks to help remedy this via electron scattering measurements on argon and titanium targets. The experiment collected both inclusive (e,e') and exclusive (e,e'p) data at a wide range of kinematics with the intent to measure the electron-nucleus cross section and thus derive a spectral function for argon that can be used with neutrino experiments. The use of titanium in this experiment stems from the equivalent shell structure that its protons share with the neutrons in argon, which will be crucial in oscillation experiments but cannot be measured directly in electron scattering. This thesis collects several papers which present results from the E12-14-012 experiment. These results include the inclusive (e,e') cross sections for carbon, titanium, argon, and aluminum at a beam energy of 2.22 GeV and a scattering angle of 15.54 deg with uncertainty of less than 5%. Also included are the first results of the exclusive (e,e'p) cross section on argon and titanium.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Physics

Department dc:contributor.department

Physics

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Murphy, Matthew Douglas

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Mariani, Camillo

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Horiuchi, Shunsaku
• Piilonen, Leo E.
• Huber, Patrick

• electron scattering
• neutrino
• JLab

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:29031

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/101964