2012/03/23 by H. Djapo, N. Paar
Physics and Astronomy · #astro-ph.SR #nucl-ex #nucl-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevc.86.035804
25 pages, 9 figures, 2 tables, submitted to Physical Review C
arxiv created 2012/03/23 · arxiv updated 2015/06/04
Background: Inelastic neutrino-nucleus scattering through the weak neutral-current plays important role in stellar environment where transport of neutrinos determine the rate of cooling. Since there are no direct experimental data on neutral-current neutrino-nucleus cross sections available, only the modeling of these reactions provides the relevant input for supernova simulations. Purpose: To establish fully self-consistent framework for neutral-current neutrino-nucleus reactions based on relativistic nuclear energy density functional. Methods: Neutrino-nucleus cross sections are calculated using weak Hamiltonian and nuclear properties of initial and excited states are obtained with relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov model and relativistic quasiparticle random phase approximation that is extended to include pion contributions for unnatural parity transitions. Results: Inelastic neutral-current neutrino-nucleus cross sections for 12C, 16O, 56Fe, 56Ni, and even isotopes 92-100Mo as well as respective cross sections averaged over distribution of supernova neutrinos. Conclusions: The present study provides insight into neutrino-nucleus scattering cross sections in the neutral channel, their theoretical uncertainty in view of recently developed microscopic models, and paves the way for systematic self-consistent large-scale calculations involving open-shell target nuclei.