Neutral current neutral pion interactions are a fundamental process in neutrino interactions, and their study in the MicroBooNE Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) is crucial in advancing our understanding of accelerator neutrino experiments. On one hand, the anomalous excess of electron-like events observed by the MiniBooNE experiment can be probed through a single-gamma search in MicroBooNE. On the other hand, future measurements of neutrino oscillations in DUNE will require precise measurements of neutrino interactions to reduce uncertainties associated with cross section modeling. As the major source of background for both studies, neutral current neutral pion interactions in a LArTPC can easily mimic single photon and electron events signatures and, therefore, must be carefully evaluated.
Thesis advisor: Bonnie Fleming