Reassessing the gallium anomaly using self-consistent electron wave functions
Abstract
The gallium anomaly, a persistent discrepancy exceeding 4 σ in the Ga 71 neutrino capture rates from Cr 51 and Ar 37 radioactive sources by the GALLEX, SAGE, and recently BEST experiments, has challenged particle physics and nuclear theory for over three decades. We present a new calculation of the neutrino capture cross section, abandoning the conventional leading-order approximation for electronic wave functions by numerically solving the Dirac-Coulomb equation for both bound and continuum electron states. Finally, we reevaluate the gallium anomaly, updating its global significance and presenting the most up-to-date status of its interpretation in terms of sterile neutrinos.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Electron and X-Ray Spectroscopy Techniques
Particle Accelerators and Free-Electron Lasers
Particle accelerators and beam dynamics
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Physical review. D/Physical review. D.
- Publisher
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Volume
- 113
- Issue
- 3
- Publication date
- 23 January 2026
- Language
- EN