Origin of the Reactor Antineutrino Anomalies in Light of a New Summation Model with Parametrized β^{-} Transitions.

Abstract

We investigate the possible origins of the reactor antineutrino anomalies in norm and shape within the framework of a summation model where β^{-} transitions are simulated by a phenomenological model of Gamow-Teller decay strength. The general trends of divergence from the Huber-Mueller model on the antineutrino side can be reproduced in both norm and shape. From the exact electron-antineutrino correspondence of the summation model, we predict similar distortions in the electron spectra, suggesting that biases on the reference spectra of fission electrons could be the cause of the anomalies.