Statistical significance of the sterile-neutrino hypothesis in the context of reactor and gallium data

A bstract We evaluate the statistical significance of 3+1 sterile-neutrino hypothesis using ν e and $$ \overline{\nu} ν ¯ disappearance data from reactor, solar gallium radioactive source experiments. Concerning latter, we investigate implications recent BEST results. For reactor focus on relative measurements independent flux predictions. problem at hand, usual χ 2 -approximation to testing based Wilks’ theorem has been shown in literature be inaccurate. therefore present results Monte Carlo simulations, find that this typically reduces by roughly 1 σ with respect naïve expectation. no significant indication favor oscillations data. On other (dominated result) show more than 5 evidence supporting hypothesis, favoring oscillation parameters agreement constraints This explanation is, however, tension (∼ 3 ) neutrino In order assess robustness signal for experiments a discussion impact cross-section uncertainties