Real-Space Imaginary-Time Propagators for Non-Local Nucleon-Nucleon Potentials

TL;DR

This paper develops methods to evaluate real-space imaginary-time propagators for non-local nucleon-nucleon potentials, facilitating their use in quantum Monte Carlo calculations and enabling better comparisons across different nuclear structure methods.

Contribution

It introduces techniques for computing real-space propagators from non-local potentials, bridging the gap between Monte Carlo and basis set methods in nuclear physics.

Findings

Large imaginary time propagators show universality across different potentials

Methods enable the use of non-local potentials in quantum Monte Carlo calculations

Facilitates comparison between different nuclear structure approaches

Abstract

Nuclear structure quantum Monte Carlo methods such as Green's function or auxiliary field diffusion Monte Carlo have used phenomenological local real-space potentials containing as few derivatives as possible, such as the Argonne-Urbana family of interactions, to make sampling simple and efficient. Basis set methods such as no-core shell model and coupled-cluster techniques typically use softer non-local potentials because of their more rapid convergence with basis set size. These non-local potentials are usually defined in momentum space and are often based on effective field theory. Comparisons of the results of the two types of methods can be difficult when different potentials are used. We show methods for evaluating the real-space imaginary-time propagators needed to perform quantum Monte Carlo calculations using such non-local potentials. We explore the universality of the large imaginary time propagators for different potentials and discuss how non-local potentials can be used in quantum Monte Carlo calculations.