Understanding nuclei is a quantum many-body problem of incredible richness and diversity. Nuclear structure theory strives to build a unified and comprehensive microscopic framework in which bulk nuclear properties, nuclear excitations, and nuclear reactions can all be described. A new and exciting focus in this endeavor lies in the description of exotic and short-lived nuclei.

This talk will review some theoretical challenges in research in nuclear terra incognita. The notion of single-particle motion in exotic nuclei will be discussed with a particular focus on three aspects: (i) variations of nuclear mean field with neutron excess; (ii) importance of many-body correlations; and (iii) influence of open channels on properties of weakly bound and unbound nuclear states.

ANL Physics Division Colloquium Schedule