Nuclear theory sits at the fascinating intersection of particle physics and the forces that hold our universe together. This field explores how protons and neutrons bind inside atomic nuclei, seeking to understand the fundamental interactions that govern matter at its most dense and energetic levels. While the mathematics involved can be incredibly complex, the core questions are deeply human: how does the universe function at its smallest scales, and what happens when we push matter to its limits?

At Gist.Science, we make these cutting-edge discoveries accessible by processing every new preprint published in this category on arXiv. Our team transforms dense academic manuscripts into clear, plain-language summaries alongside detailed technical overviews, ensuring that both experts and curious readers can grasp the latest breakthroughs without getting lost in the jargon. Below are the latest papers in nuclear theory, distilled and ready for you to explore.

⚛️ nuclear theory

Primordial deuterium abundance from calculations of p(n,γ)p(n,γ) and d(p,γ)d(p,γ) reactions within potential-model approach

This study calculates the primordial deuterium abundance using a consistent potential-model approach for p(n,γ)p(n,\gamma) and d(p,γ)d(p,\gamma) reactions based on the Malfliet-Tjon interaction, yielding a D/H\mathrm{D/H} ratio of 2.4790.177+0.350×1052.479^{+0.350}_{-0.177}\times 10^{-5} that aligns well with observational data from metal-poor damped Lyman-α\alpha systems.

Nguyen Le Anh, Dao Nhut Anh, Hoang Thai An, Nguyen Gia Huy, Bui Minh Loc2026-03-20
⚛️ nuclear theory

Investigating nuclear density profiles to reveal particle-hole configurations in the island of inversion

This study demonstrates that total reaction and elastic scattering cross sections serve as effective probes for identifying the spin-parity and particle-hole configurations of nuclei in the island of inversion by correlating them with specific nuclear density profiles predicted via antisymmetrized molecular dynamics and the Glauber model.

R. Barman, W. Horiuchi, M. Kimura, R. Chatterjee2026-03-19
⚛️ nuclear experiments

Green's Function Formalism for Impurity-Induced Resonances in Sub-barrier Proton-Nucleus Scattering

This paper establishes a non-perturbative Green's function formalism that models sub-barrier proton-nucleus scattering via a surface delta-shell impurity, successfully predicting resonance energies for p+7Lip + {}^{7}\text{Li}, p+14Np + {}^{14}\text{N}, and p+23Nap + {}^{23}\text{Na} systems while distinguishing between weak-coupling threshold states and saturated geometric plateau states.

Bahruz Suleymanli, Kutsal Bozkurt2026-03-19
⚛️ phenomenology

Higher-point Energy Correlators: Factorization in the Back-to-Back Limit & Non-perturbative Effects

This paper introduces a new parametrization for N-point energy correlators that enables the derivation of a general factorization theorem in the back-to-back limit and the analytic determination of leading non-perturbative power corrections for arbitrary N, including non-integer values, thereby facilitating future precision extractions of the strong coupling constant.

Ankita Budhraja, Isabelle Pels, Wouter J. Waalewijn2026-03-19
⚛️ nuclear experiments

Resolving anomalous collectivity in the 41+4_1^+ to 21+2_1^+ transition of 58^{58}Fe

This study resolves a long-standing discrepancy in the 41+4_1^+ to 21+2_1^+ transition strength of 58^{58}Fe by using Coulomb-excitation measurements to demonstrate that previous lifetime data were overestimated due to outdated electronic stopping power models, thereby confirming the validity of shell-model predictions.

J. A. Woodside, B. J. Coombes, A. E. Stuchbery, A. J. Mitchell, M. Reece, G. J. Lane, T. J. Gray, G. Pasqualato, L. J. M (…)2026-03-19
⚛️ nuclear theory

Asymptotics of superfluid Bjorken flow

This paper investigates the late-time asymptotic behavior of superfluid Bjorken flow using Mueller-Israel-Stewart theory coupled to a complex scalar field, revealing that dissipative evolution leads to novel transseries solutions containing τalnτ\tau^{-a\ln \tau} factors that encode initial data dilution and exhibit either damped fall-off or oscillations depending on the condensate relaxation rate, with potential implications for heavy-ion collision experiments.

Alexander Soloviev, Michał Spaliński2026-03-19
⚛️ nuclear theory

Symmetry Energy from Two-Nucleon Separation Energies of Pb and Ca Isotopes

This study utilizes the deformed relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov theory and experimental mass data to derive the symmetry energy coefficients for Pb and Ca isotopes from two-nucleon separation energies, ultimately determining a model-independent volume symmetry energy of approximately 27.0 MeV by constraining the surface-to-volume energy ratio.

Myeong-Hwan Mun, Eunja Ha, H. Sagawa, Gianluca Colò, Myung-Ki Cheoun2026-03-18