Charged current scattering of ${\nu }_{\mu }$ on ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}$ has been studied using a ${\pi }^{+}$ decay-in-flight ${\nu }_{\mu }$ beam at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center. A sample of $66.9\pm 9.1$ events satisfying criteria for the exclusive reaction ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}({\nu }_{\mu },{\mu }^{-}{)}^{12}{\mathrm{N}}_{\mathrm{g}.\mathrm{s}.\mathrm{}}$ was obtained using a large liquid scintillator neutrino detector. The observed flux-averaged cross section $(5.6\mathrm{}\pm 0.8\pm 1.0)\times {10}^{-41}\hspace{0.5em}{\mathrm{cm}}^2$ agrees well with reliable theoretical expectations. A measurement was also obtained for the inclusive cross section to all accessible ${}^{12}\mathrm{N}$ states ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}({\nu }_{\mu },{\mu }^{-})X.\mathrm{}$ This flux-averaged cross section is $(10.6\mathrm{}\pm 0.3\pm 1.8)\times {10}^{-40}\hspace{0.5em}{\mathrm{cm}}^2$ which is lower than present theoretical calculations.

• Received 8 March 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.66.015501