I will start out by introducing the many-nucleon problem in the context of nuclear structure and neutron-star physics. This includes a brief overview of the simulation methods known as Quantum Monte Carlo (QMC). I will then discuss the problem of nuclear forces, going over both accurate phenomenological potentials like Argonne v18 as well as the efforts toward connecting Quantum Chromodynamics with many-nucleon studies (via chiral Effective Field Theory [EFT]). QMC and chiral EFT were recently fused, via a local reformulation of chiral EFT, which makes it possible to use such potentials within the framework of Quantum Monte Carlo. I will then go over QMC results for light nuclei and neutron matter, including non-perturbative estimates of the theoretical uncertainties.

Argonne Physics Division Seminar Schedule