The weak mixing angle from low energy neutrino measurements: a global update

TL;DR

This paper provides a comprehensive global analysis of low energy neutrino experiments to refine the measurement of the weak mixing angle, incorporating recent theoretical and experimental updates for improved accuracy.

Contribution

It presents a combined analysis of reactor and accelerator neutrino data, including new theoretical predictions and radiative corrections, to update the value of the weak mixing angle.

Findings

Measured sin^2(theta_W) = 0.252 ± 0.030 from reactor data.

Reanalyzed accelerator data with radiative corrections.

Combined analysis yields sin^2(theta_W) = 0.254 ± 0.024.

Abstract

Taking into account recent theoretical and experimental inputs on reactor fluxes we reconsider the determination of the weak mixing angle from low energy experiments. We perform a global analysis to all available neutrino-electron scattering data from reactor antineutrino experiments, obtaining sin^2(theta_W) = 0.252 \pm 0.030. We discuss the impact of the new theoretical prediction for the neutrino spectrum, the new measurement of the reactor antineutrino spectrum by the Daya Bay collaboration, as well as the effect of radiative corrections. We also reanalyze the measurements of the nu_e-e cross section at accelerator experiments including radiative corrections. By combining reactor and accelerator data we obtain an improved determination for the weak mixing angle, sin^2(theta_W) = 0.254 \pm 0.024.