FRIB Theory Group: Meetings
This page will hold plans and summaries of meetings of the FRIB Theory Group.
A Nuclear Theory Breakout session was held at the
FRIB Meeting in May 2009, chaired by Erich Ormand [LLNL] and
Alexander Volya [FSU]. Their report, exerpted from the
workshop summary, follows:
Nuclear Theory (Convenors: Ormand/Volya) [13 participants]
The key compelling issues for the low energy theory community are focused on a comprehensive
and unified microscopic description of the structure of all nuclei and their low-energy reactions
from the basic interactions between the constituent protons and neutrons. The unified approach
is centered on building bridges to allow the development of a consistent understanding that spans
from quarks to neutron stars.
The roadmap to achieve this goal is well documented, for example in the RIA Theory Group
Blue Book, the 2007 NSAC Long Range Plan for Nuclear Physics, and the National Academy
RISAC report.
Some specific nuclear structure questions that were discussed include:
* How does the NN and NNN interaction emerge from QCD? How do NNN correlations
affect the structure of heavy nuclei?
* What are the limits of stability? (including angular momentum, isospin, mass and charge)
* How does shell structure evolve with neutron number?
* How do simple symmetries arise in complex systems?
* Can we describe large-amplitude collective motion? (And can we have a predictive
theory for fission for understanding the r-process and Advanced Fuel Cycles?)
* What is the microscopic underpinning of emergent phenomena?
* How do nuclei react with each other? (Can we describe some reactions from first
principles)? Can we develop a comprehensive theory of direct reactions? What is the
impact of the continuum on nuclear properties?
* What is the EOS of neutron matter?
* What can nuclei tell us about other small systems (cold trapped atoms, pairing, quantum
dots, phase transitions)?
From that same workshop, a summary was presented to the Plenary session:
Theory Requirements (Nazarewicz) [14 participants]
The theory working group was enthusiastic about FRIB prospects. It will provide crucial data on
exotic nuclei which will help “calibrate” nuclear theories, it will encourage closer collaborations
between theorists and experimentalists, and the new data will rejuvenate the Low Energy theory
community. The guiding principles for the theory community remain those outlined in a recent
NSAC report “A Vision for Nuclear Theory”. The key issue is re-growing the theory community
in order to be well positioned to take advantage of the new data when it comes from FRIB. This
involves:
* Attracting, educating and retaining the most talented young scientists
* Re-establishing LE theory in top-ranked universities. Grow the LE theory community
* Developing “New Initiatives” to generate new funding
Practically, it was suggested that:
* An Undergraduate and Graduate FRIB fellowships program be set up
* Postdoctoral FRIB Prizes be awarded
* FRIB-related theory positions in Universities and National Laboratories created
* Topical theory centers established
* Leveraged support of FRIB sabbaticals
And when FRIB is established:
* Have topical workshops
* A visitor program
* A local theory liaison office
* Visitor-friendly computing environment
* Theory webinars