The inclusive electron neutrino charged-current cross section is measured in the NOvA near detector using 8.02 x 10(20) protons-on-target in the NuMI beam. The sample of GeVelectron neutrino interactions is the largest analyzed to date and is limited by similar or equal to 17% systematic rather than the similar or equal to 7.4% statistical uncertainties.
The double-differential cross section in final-state electron energy and angle is presented for the first time, together with the single-differential dependence on Q(2) (squared four-momentum transfer) and energy, in the range 1 GeV = E-nu < 6 GeV. Detailed comparisons are made to the predictions of the GENIE, GiBUU, NEUT, and NuWro neutrino event generators.
The data do not strongly favor a model over the others consistently across all three cross sections measured, though some models have especially good or poor agreement in the single differential cross section vs Q(2).