Nuclear Structure Effects in "Elastic" Neutrino-Induced Reactions

The effects of nuclear structure on "elastic" neutrino-induced reactions: ν_μ+[Z, A]→μ^-+[Z+1, A], ν_μ+[Z, A]→μ⁺+[Z-1, A], are considered by use of methods analogous to those developed in the theory of muon capture by complex nuclei. A "nuclear structure effect quantity" ("n.s.e.q."), which allows calculation of the cross sections for ν_μ+n→μ^-+p and ν_μ+p→μ⁺+n from the observed cross sections for ν_μ+[Z, A]₀→μ^-+[Z+1, A]ₐₗₗ and ν_μ+[Z, A]₀→μ⁺+[Z-1, A]ₐₗₗ, is derived and discussed. This "n.s.e.q." is, to a reasonable approximation, independent of the nucleon form factors associated with the lepton-hadron weak interaction and essentially involves only the nucleon-nucleon correlation function of [Z, A]₀ as determined by the internucleon forces and the exclusion principle. Finally, it is shown how the nuclear parameters entering into the nucleon-nucleon correlation function can be found from existing empirical data on electron scattering and muon capture by complex nuclei and, with use of the so-determined values of these parameters, values of the "n.s.e.q." for various [$Z, A$] and E_ν are given.