The role of the Look Elsewhere Effect in determining the significance of an oscillation disappearance search for a light sterile neutrino

Abstract: In the ongoing vibrant experimental quest to assess whether the numerous indications for a light sterile neutrino are only experimental fluctuations or the manifestations of a profound and real underlying effect, one aspect which has recently attracted a specific interest is the statistical treatment of the data. Especially in cases of supposed positive hints, the correct statistical assessment of their significance is of paramount importance, to avoid that potential overstatements lead to a wrong understanding of the real status of the experimental investigation in the field. In this work I show how latest crucial advancements in the statistical data processing for the interpretation of the output of a sterile search can be effectively put and understood in the context of the Look Elsewhere Effect phenomenon, developed and now of routine usage for results interpretation in other areas of HEP research.