Recent advances in the description of reactions involving exotic nuclei

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent progress in reaction models for analyzing data from radioactive-ion beam experiments, focusing on exotic nuclei like halo nuclei, and highlights advances in nuclear-reaction theory over recent years.

Contribution

It presents new developments in reaction models that improve the description of exotic nuclei, especially halo nuclei, in nuclear reaction analysis.

Findings

Enhanced ab initio calculations for some halo nuclei

Improved reaction models for elastic scattering and breakup

Progress in describing projectile-target interactions

Abstract

In this contribution to the proceedings of the International Nuclear Physics Conference 2019, I review recent developments made in reaction models used to analyse data measured at radioactive-ion beam facilities to study exotic nuclear structures. I focus in particular on reactions like elastic scattering and breakup, which are used to study halo nuclei. Although these peculiar nuclei challenge usual nuclear-structure models, some can now be computed ab initio. This brief review illustrates the progresses made in nuclear-reaction theory in the last few years to improve the description of the projectile within reaction models. I dedicate this contribution to the memory of Mahir Hussein, who has significantly contributed to this field and who passed away in May this year.