# Towards an ab initio covariant density functional for nuclear structure

## TL;DR

This paper reviews covariant density functional theory (CDFT) in nuclear physics, discusses its challenges, and explores developing an ab initio relativistic density functional based on realistic nucleon-nucleon interactions for improved nuclear structure predictions.

## Contribution

It introduces the concept of constructing an ab initio covariant density functional for nuclear structure from realistic nucleon-nucleon interactions, advancing beyond phenomenological models.

## Key findings

- Review of covariant density functional theory success in nuclear property prediction
- Discussion of challenges in predicting unstable nuclei and high-density matter
- Overview of current relativistic Brueckner-Hartree-Fock calculations for finite nuclei

## Abstract

Nuclear structure models built from phenomenological mean fields, the effective nucleon-nucleon interactions (or Lagrangians), and the realistic bare nucleon-nucleon interactions are reviewed. The success of covariant density functional theory (CDFT) to describe nuclear properties and its influence on Brueckner theory within the relativistic framework are focused upon. The challenges and ambiguities of predictions for unstable nuclei without data or for high-density nuclear matter, arising from relativistic density functionals, are discussed. The basic ideas in building an ab initio relativistic density functional for nuclear structure from ab initio calculations with realistic nucleon-nucleon interactions for both nuclear matter and finite nuclei are presented. The current status of fully self-consistent relativistic Brueckner-Hartree-Fock (RBHF) calculations for finite nuclei or neutron drops (ideal systems composed of a finite number of neutrons and confined within an external field) is reviewed. The guidance and perspectives towards an ab initio covariant density functional theory for nuclear structure derived from the RBHF results are provided.