Application of quasi-optimal weights to searches of anomalies. Statistical criteria for step-like anomalies in cumulative spectra

Abstract

The statistical method of quasi-optimal weights can be used to derive criteria for searches of anomalies. As an example we derive a convenient statistical criterion for step-like anomalies in cumulative spectra such as measured in the Troitsk-nu-mass, Mainz and KATRIN experiments. It is almost as powerful as the locally most powerful one near the null hypothesis and appreciably excels the conventional chi^2 and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests. It is also compared with an ad hoc criterion of «pairwise correlations of neighbours»; the latter is seen to be less powerful if more sensitive to more general anomalies. As a realistic example, the criteria are applied to the Troitsk-nu-mass data.

9 pages

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Cited by in corpus (3)

• Search for an admixture of sterile neutrino in the electron spectrum from tritium $\beta$-decay
• A systematic search for step-like anomalies in the tritium β-decay spectrum in the Troitsk-ν-mass experiment
• Error estimation in the method of quasi-optimal weights