Nuclear energy density functionals from empirical ground-state densities

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new model that leverages empirical ground-state densities to enhance relativistic nuclear energy density functionals, aiming for a more accurate and exact Kohn-Sham exchange-correlation functional.

Contribution

It develops a model based on density functional perturbation theory and inverse Kohn-Sham method to improve nuclear energy density functionals using empirical data.

Findings

Successfully reproduces parameters of a target functional

Demonstrates the model's ability to refine functional accuracy

Uses empirical densities to guide functional development

Abstract

A model is developed, based on the density functional perturbation theory and the inverse Kohn-Sham method, that can be used to improve relativistic nuclear energy density functionals towards an exact but unknown Kohn-Sham exchange-correlation functional. The improved functional is determined by empirical exact ground-state densities of finite systems. A test of the model and an illustrative calculation are performed, starting from two different approximate functionals, to reproduce the parameters and density dependence of a target functional, using exact ground-state densities of symmetric N=Z systems.