# Turning the nuclear energy density functional method into a proper effective field theory: reflections

## TL;DR

This paper discusses transforming nuclear energy density functionals into a rigorous effective field theory framework, emphasizing the potential of effective action formulations to improve accuracy and uncertainty quantification in nuclear modeling.

## Contribution

It explores how to formalize nuclear EDFs as a proper EFT, proposing effective action approaches and analyzing current challenges and future directions.

## Key findings

- EDF can be reformulated as an EFT with proper power counting
- Effective action formulation offers a promising path forward
- Current phenomenological EDFs suggest underlying EFT structures

## Abstract

Nuclear energy density functionals (EDFs) have a long history of success in reproducing properties of nuclei across the table of the nuclides. They capture quantitatively the emergent features of bound nuclei, such as nuclear saturation and pairing, yet greater accuracy and improved uncertainty quantification are actively sought. Implementations of phenomenological EDFs are suggestive of effective field theory (EFT) formulations and there are hints of an underlying power counting. Multiple paths are possible in trying to turn the nuclear EDF method into a proper EFT. I comment on the current situation and speculate on how to proceed using an effective action formulation.