First observation of electron antineutrinos from nuclear reactors at Super-Kamiokande

Abstract

In 2020, Super-Kamiokande entered the SK-Gd phase, improving its sensitivity to low-energy electron antineutrinos through the detection of neutrons captured on gadolinium dissolved in the detector water. An analysis of reactor electron antineutrino data has been carried out using data from SK-Gd, with a total exposure of 411.52 live days. The observed prompt energy spectra and monthly event rates are consistent with the oscillated reactor antineutrino prediction after accounting for accidental, geoneutrino, and spallation backgrounds. The no-reactor hypothesis is disfavored with a reactor-antineutrino signal significance of approximately $6σ$. The oscillation parameters are measured to be $\sin^2θ_{12} = 0.500\pm0.155$ and $Δm^2_{21} = (9.08_{-0.54}^{+0.55}) \times 10^{-5} \mathrm{eV}^2$. A comparison with Super-Kamiokande solar neutrino measurements shows a statistical compatibility between the two datasets at the $1.9σ$ level. A combined solar and reactor fit in Super-Kamiokande yields best-fit values of $\sin^2θ_{12} = 0.332_{-0.026}^{+0.028}$ and $Δm^2_{21} = (8.94_{-0.47}^{+0.46}) \times 10^{-5} \mathrm{eV}^2$.