Solving the gallium anomaly: New calculation may explain neutrino shortfall without invoking new particles
Glimpses of the "gallium anomaly" were first seen in the mid-1990s, but it was first clearly discovered and stated in 2007 by neutrino physicist Carlo Giunti of Italy. The problem is simple to state but potentially very important: about 20% fewer electron neutrinos were seen to be captured by gallium nuclei than expected.
The gallium anomaly, first observed in the mid-1990s and clearly discovered in 2007, puzzled physicists for years. About 20% fewer electron neutrinos were captured by gallium nuclei than expected. This problem, related to weak force interactions, remained unsolved until a new calculation by Italian physicists provided a potential explanation.
The anomaly was reaffirmed experimentally in 2022 by the Baksan Experiment on Sterile Transitions. Lead author Matteo Cadeddu, now at the National Institute for Nuclear Physics in Italy, worked on the problem during his master's thesis and later revisited it, considering various theoretical and experimental aspects. The new calculation incorporates relativistic electron behavior and the coupling between the electron and nuclear transition, leading to a more accurate prediction of electron neutrinos.
This solution aligns with the observed number of electron neutrinos captured, solving the gallium anomaly without invoking new particles.
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