Chiral Effective Field Theory's Impact on Advancing Quantum Monte Carlo Methods

TL;DR

This paper reviews how chiral effective field theory interactions have significantly advanced quantum Monte Carlo methods for studying nuclear systems, from nuclei to neutron star matter, over the past 30 years.

Contribution

It highlights the role of chiral effective field theory in improving microscopic nuclear calculations using quantum Monte Carlo techniques.

Findings

Enhanced accuracy in nuclear structure calculations

Improved estimates of nuclear matter properties

Broadened applicability of quantum Monte Carlo methods

Abstract

Thirty years ago, Steven Weinberg published his seminal paper on "Nuclear Forces from chiral Lagrangians" which has revolutionized the field of theoretical nuclear physics. Nowadays, interactions derived from chiral effective field theory are routinely used to describe nuclear systems ranging from atomic nuclei to the dense matter explored in the core of neutron stars with theoretical uncertainty estimates. In our contribution to the special issue "Celebrating 30 years of Steven Weinberg's paper Nuclear Forces from Chiral Lagrangians", we focus on the impact that chiral effective field theory interactions have played in advancing microscopic studies of atomic nuclei and the nuclear-matter equation of state using quantum Monte Carlo methods.