First Search for the EMC Effect and Nuclear Shadowing in Neutrino Nuclear Deep Inelastic Scattering at MINERvA

This thesis details significant improvements in the understanding of the nuclear EMC effect and nuclear shadowing in neutrino physics, and makes substantial comparisons with electron scattering physics. Specifically, it includes a world's first systematic study of the EMC ratios of carbon, iron and lead to plastic scintillator of neutrinos. The analysis presented provides the best evidence to date that the EMC effect is similar between electrons and neutrinos within the sensitivity of the data. Nuclear shadowing is measured systematically for the first time with neutrinos. In contrast with the data on the EMC effect, the data on nuclear shadowing support the conclusion that nuclear shadowing may be stronger for neutrinos than it is for electrons. This conclusion points to interesting new nuclear physics.

Autorentext
Joel Mousseau earned his Bachelor of Science with an honors concentration in physics and a minor in mathematics from the University of Michigan in 2007. He was awarded a Master of Science from the University of Florida in 2009, and finally his Doctor of Philosophy in physics from the University of Florida in 2015.

Inhalt

1. Introduction.- 2. Theory.- 3. Event Simulation.- 4. Neutrino Beamline.- 5. The Minerva Detector and Simulation.- 6. Event Reconstruction.- 7. Overview of the Measurement.- 8. Event Selection and Efficiency.- 9. Backgrounds.- 10. Systematic Uncertainties.- 11. Reconstructed and Unfolded Event Yields.- 12. Efficiency Correction and Flux Division.- 13. Cross Section Results.- 14. Conclusions.- Appendix.- A. Sideband Pilots.- B. Non-dis Event Uncertainties (After Tuning).- C. Plastic Background Subtraction.- D. Migration Matrices.- E. Event Yields (Reconstructed).- F. Dis Event Yields (Unfolded Kinematics).- G. Efficiency Plots.