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.

Structure and dynamics of open-shell nuclei from spherical coupled-cluster theory

This paper extends spherical coupled-cluster theory to open-shell nuclei with two nucleons removed, validating the method against experimental data for oxygen and calcium isotopes while demonstrating high accuracy for binding energies and excited states but noting an underestimation of electric dipole polarizabilities.

Francesco Marino, Francesca Bonaiti, Sonia Bacca, Gaute Hagen, Gustav R. Jansen2026-02-06⚛️ nucl-ex

Bridging reaction theory and nuclear structure in π±π^\pm-48{}^{48}Ca scattering

This paper extends the pion-nucleus multiple-scattering framework to include second-order rescattering dynamics and nuclear structure details derived from chiral effective field theory, demonstrating that these corrections are essential for accurately reproducing differential cross sections in π±\pi^\pm-48{}^{48}Ca elastic scattering within the Δ(1232)\Delta(1232)-resonance region.

Viacheslav Tsaran, Francesco Marino, Sonia Bacca, Francesca Bonaiti, Marc Vanderhaeghen2026-02-06⚛️ hep-ph

Self-bound hybrid stars with strong phase transitions can relieve major compact star observation tensions

This study proposes that self-bound hybrid stars characterized by strong phase transitions and large density discontinuities can simultaneously resolve multiple observational tensions regarding the masses, radii, and tidal deformabilities of various compact objects, including anomalous low-mass pulsars, the massive GW190814 secondary, and standard NICER measurements.

Chen Zhang, Juan M. Z. Pretel, Renxin Xu2026-02-05⚛️ nucl-th

Corrections to the Smoothness and On-Shell Approximations in Femtoscopy and Coalescence

This paper derives model-independent expansions to quantify leading corrections to the smoothness and on-shell approximations in femtoscopy and coalescence, demonstrating that while these corrections are generally small (at or below the percent level) for LHC energy collisions, they can be efficiently evaluated with the same numerical complexity as standard methods.

Isaac G. Smith, Kfir Blum2026-02-05⚛️ nucl-ex

Theoretical analysis and predictions for the double electron capture of 124^{124}Xe

This paper presents a comprehensive theoretical analysis of the two-neutrino double electron capture in 124^{124}Xe by improving nuclear and atomic structure calculations, which yields refined nuclear matrix elements, predicts specific capture fractions for various decay channels (notably 74% for the KK channel and 24% for the cumulative KL1_1-KO1_1 channels), and provides updated atomic relaxation energies for background modeling in liquid Xenon experiments.

Ovidiu Niţescu, Stefan Ghinescu, Vasile-Alin Sevestrean, Mihai Horoi, Fedor Šimkovic, Sabin Stoica2026-02-04⚛️ nucl-th