Exclusive Muon Neutrino Charged Current Pion-less Topologies. ArgoNeuT Results and Future Prospects in LAr TPC Detectors

Results from the analysis of charged current pion-less (CC 0-pion) muon neutrino events in argon collected by the ArgoNeuT experiment on the NuMI beam at Fermilab are presented and compared with predictions from Monte Carlo simulations. A novel analysis method, based on the reconstruction of exclusive topologies, fully exploiting the Liquid argon Time Projection Chamber (LAr TPC) technique capabilities, is used to analyze the events, characterized by the presence at the vertex of a leading muon track eventually accompanied by one or more highly ionizing tracks, and study nuclear effects in neutrino interactions on argon nuclei. Multiple protons accompanying the leading muon are visible in the ArgoNeuT events, and measured with a proton reconstruction threshold of 21 MeV kinetic energy. Measurements of (anti-)neutrino CC 0-pion inclusive and exclusive cross sections on argon nuclei are reported. Prospects for future, larger mass LAr TPC detectors are discussed.