We performed Monte Carlo calculations of the statistical distribution of the ${\chi }^2$ test statistic used in the analysis of the data of the NEOS, DANSS, Bugey-3, and PROSPECT short-baseline reactor experiments. We show that the statistical significance of the NEOS and DANSS indications in favor of active-sterile neutrino oscillations is smaller than that obtained with the usual method based on the ${\chi }^2$ distribution. In the combined analysis of the data of the four experiments we find that the statistical significance of active-sterile neutrino oscillations is reduced from $2.4\sigma$ to $1.8\sigma$.

• Received 30 March 2020
• Accepted 8 May 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.101.095025

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Published by the American Physical Society