Breaking and restoring symmetries within the nuclear energy density functional method

Abstract

We review the notion of symmetry breaking and restoration within the frame of nuclear energy density functional methods. We focus on key differences between wavefunction- and energy-functional-based methods. In particular, we point to difficulties in formulating the restoration of symmetries within the energy functional framework. The problems tackled recently in connection with particle-number restoration serve as a baseline to the present discussion. Reaching out to angular-momentum restoration, we identify an exact mathematical property of the energy density that could be used to constrain energy density functional kernels. Consequently, we suggest possible routes toward a better formulation of symmetry restorations within energy density functional methods.