Precise predictions for multi-TeV and PeV energy neutrino scattering rates

Abstract

The scattering rate of multi-TeV and PeV energy neutrinos is fast becoming an interesting topic in (astro)particle-physics. This is due to experimental progress at Neutrino Telescopes such as IceCube which have begun to gain sensitivity to the flux of neutrinos in this energy range. In view of this, a precise calculation of the scattering rate of neutrinos upon atoms is presented. The two main components of the calculation are the differential cross section predictions for neutrino scattering upon an atomic nucleus (such as that of water), as well as upon atomic electrons. In the first case, the predictions for neutrino-nucleus cross sections in charged-and neutral-current scattering are refined by including resonant contributions generated within the photon field of the nucleus, which alter the considered distributions by ≈(2-3)%. In the latter case, radiative corrections are provided for all 2→2 scattering processes of the form ν̄ee-→ff̄′. For antineutrino energies of Eν̄e≈6 PeV, where these processes become resonantly enhanced (the Glashow resonance) and dominate the total cross section, these corrections amount to ≈-10%.