Ab Initio Nuclear Reaction Theory with Applications to Astrophysics

Abstract

We present an introduction to ab initio nuclear theory with a focus on nuclear reactions. After a high-level overview of ab initio approaches in nuclear physics, we give a more detailed description of the no-core shell model technique equivalent to a large extent to configuration-interaction methods applied in quantum chemistry. We then introduce the no-core shell model with continuum approach that provides a quantum many-body description of nuclear reactions. After a brief review of nuclear reactions important for astrophysics, we present examples of results of ab initio calculations of radiative capture and transfer reactions in light nuclei.

Contribution to the "Handbook of Nuclear Physics", Springer, 2022, edited by I. Tanihata, H. Toki, and T. Kajino