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.

⚛️ phenomenology

A Lattice QCD study of pΛp-\Lambda scattering in continuum and chiral limits

This paper presents the first systematic lattice QCD study of I=1/2I=1/2 proton-Λ\Lambda scattering across multiple pion masses and lattice spacings, yielding scattering parameters and cross sections that agree with experimental data and confirm attractive interactions critical for nuclear theory and neutron star modeling.

Hang Liu, Liuming Liu, Jin-Xin Tan, Wei Wang, Haobo Yan, Qian-Teng Zhu2026-03-09
🔭 astrophysics

Inverse-mapped density-dependent relativistic mean-field inference of the neutron-star equation of state with multi-messenger constraints

This study employs Bayesian inference within a density-dependent relativistic mean-field framework, constrained by multi-messenger data ranging from chiral effective field theory to massive pulsar observations, to reconstruct a thermodynamically consistent neutron-star equation of state that predicts a compact canonical radius of approximately 11.6 km and reveals strongly interacting matter cores with sound speeds exceeding the conformal limit.

Wen-Jie Xie, Cheng-Jun Xia2026-03-09
🔬 physics

Physics-Embedded Bayesian Neural Network (PE-BNN) to predict Energy Dependence of Fission Product Yields with Fine Structures

This paper introduces a physics-embedded Bayesian neural network (PE-BNN) framework that integrates an energy-independent phenomenological shell factor and WAIC-based hyperparameter optimization to accurately predict energy-dependent fission product yields with fine structures and close agreement with known nuclear shell effects.

Jingde Chen, Yuta Mukobara, Kazuki Fujio, Satoshi Chiba, Tatsuya Katabuchi, Chikako Ishizuka2026-03-06
🔬 physics

Relativistic distorted-wave analysis of the missing-energy spectrum measured with monochromatic νμν_μ-12^{12}C interactions at JSNS2^{2}

This paper analyzes the missing-energy spectrum from monochromatic neutrino-12^{12}C interactions measured by the JSNS2^2 collaboration using a relativistic distorted-wave approach with an improved spectral function, while discussing the roles of nuclear recoil, final-state interactions, and neutrino event generators in describing low-energy nuclear effects.

J. M. Franco-Patino, J. García-Marcos, V. Belocchi, M. B. Barbaro, G. Co', R. González-Jiménez2026-03-06
⚛️ phenomenology

The MexNICA Collaboration in the MPD-NICA Experiment at JINR: Experimental and Theoretical Achievements

This paper summarizes the achievements of the MexNICA Collaboration, established in 2016 to coordinate Mexican participation in the MPD-NICA experiment at JINR, highlighting their contributions to the development of the miniBeBe trigger detector and advances in phenomenological and theoretical studies of the baryon-rich QCD phase diagram.

Alfredo Raya, Mauricio Alvarado, Juan Anzúrez, Alejandro Ayala, Wolfgang Bietenholz, Salomón Borjas García, Eleazar Cuau (…)2026-03-06