A bstract We evaluate the statistical significance of the 3+1 sterile-neutrino hypothesis using ν e and $$ \overline{\nu} $$ ν ¯ e disappearance data from reactor, solar and gallium radioactive source experiments. Concerning the latter, we investigate the implications of the recent BEST results. For reactor data we focus on relative measurements independent of flux predictions. For the problem at hand, the usual χ 2 -approximation to hypothesis testing based on Wilks’ theorem has been shown in the literature to be inaccurate. We therefore present results based on Monte Carlo simulations, and find that this typically reduces the significance by roughly 1 σ with respect to the naïve expectation. We find no significant indication in favor of sterile-neutrino oscillations from reactor data. On the other hand, gallium data (dominated by the BEST result) show more than 5 σ of evidence supporting the sterile-neutrino hypothesis, favoring oscillation parameters in agreement with constraints from reactor data. This explanation is, however, in significant tension (∼ 3 σ ) with solar neutrino experiments. In order to assess the robustness of the signal for gallium experiments we present a discussion of the impact of cross-section uncertainties on the results.
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Gallium neutrino absorption cross section and its uncertainty
In the recent Baksan Experiment on Sterile Transitions (BEST), a suppressed rate of neutrino absorption
on a gallium target was observed, consistent with earlier results from neutrino source calibrations of the
SAGE and GALLEX/GNO solar neutrino experiments. The BEST Collaboration, utilizing a 3.4 MCi 51Cr
neutrino source, found observed-to-expected counting rates at two very short baselines of R = 0.791 ± 0.05
and 0.766 ± 0.05, respectively. Among recent neutrino experiments, BEST is notable for the simplicity of both
its neutrino spectrum, line neutrinos from an electron-capture source whose intensity can be measured to a
estimated precision of 0.23%, and its absorption cross section, where the precisely known rate of electron capture
to the gallium ground state, 71Ge(e−, νe ) 71Ga(g.s.), establishes a minimum value. However, the absorption
cross section uncertainty is a common systematic in the BEST, SAGE, and GALLEX/GNO neutrino source
experiments. Here we update that cross section, considering a variety of electroweak corrections and the role of
transitions to excited states, to establish both a central value and reasonable uncertainty, thereby enabling a more
accurate assessment of the statistical significance of the gallium anomalies. Results are given for 51Cr and 37Ar
sources. The revised neutrino capture rates are used in a reevaluation of the BEST and gallium anomalies.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2020275
- PAR ID:
- 10509020
- Publisher / Repository:
- APS
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Physical Review C
- Edition / Version:
- 1
- Volume:
- 108
- Issue:
- 3
- ISSN:
- 2469-9985
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Other: pdf
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
-
Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.108.035502
