Measurement of the Electron Neutrino Transverse Kinematic Imbalance using the MINERvA Detector

As modern neutrino oscillation experiments reach the level where they are no longer dominated by statistical uncertainty, the importance of properly modelling neutrino interactions rises dramatically. These models have known problems and more data comparisons across various channels are necessary to reach the level of precision that oscillation experiments will need. In particular, final state interactions of outgoing particles are particularly poorly understood. The MINERvA experiment is a neutrino cross section experiment dedicated to measuring cross sections in multiple channels and across various nuclear targets. This analysis focuses on the relatively novel technique of measuring transverse kinematic imbalance (TKI) in electron neutrino interactions. The technique involves measuring the difference in transverse momenta between outgoing particles from an initial neutrino interaction. TKI measurements isolate the effects of re-interactions in the nucleus and allow direct meeasurement of nuclear effects in neutrino scattering, independent of neutrino energy. While TKI analyses have been performed using multiple detectors for incoming muon neutrinos, this will be the first direct measurement of transverse kinematic imbalance for electron neutrinos scattering off of a nuclear target.