Microscopic theory for nuclear fission dynamics

Abstract

Nuclear theory research is undergoing a renaissance owing to the recent advancements in the high-performance computing. As nucleus is a quantum many-body system with complicated interparticle interactions, initial theoretical developments were predominantly based on different phenomenological models derived with the help of numerous simplifying assumptions. Although appropriate nuclear many-body theories were formulated, these were hardly adopted in practical applications because of computational limitations. However, since the last decade, this scenario has changed as a result of rapid improvements in the computational power and the associated numerical techniques. Realistic microscopic theories with superior predictive power are now routinely used even for systems which are far beyond the laboratory reach. This review discusses recent achievements in the microscopic theories of large amplitude nuclear dynamics. Particularly, after a succinct historical introduction, emphasis is given to the discussions on the microscopic modelling of nuclear fission dynamics. Also, related future directions are mentioned in brief.