Model-independent determination of the axial mass parameter in quasielastic neutrino-nucleon scattering

Quasielastic neutrino-nucleon scattering is a basic signal process for neutrino oscillation studies. At accelerator energies, the corresponding cross section is subject to significant uncertainty due to the poorly constrained axial-vector form factor of the nucleon. A model-independent description of the axial-vector form factor is presented. Data from the MiniBooNE experiment for quasielastic neutrino scattering on C-12 are analyzed under the assumption of a definite nuclear model. The value of the axial mass parameter, m(A) = (+0.22)(-0.07) +/- GeV, is found to differ significantly from extractions based on traditional form factor models. Implications for future neutrino scattering and pion electroproduction measurements are discussed.