A Vision for the Science of Rare Isotopes

TL;DR

This paper envisions the future of rare isotope science, emphasizing the integration of theoretical, computational, and experimental advances, especially near the drip lines and in nuclear astrophysics.

Contribution

It provides a perspective on the evolving field of rare isotope beams, highlighting the importance of nuclear structure, reactions, and astrophysics connections.

Findings

Focus on nuclei near the drip lines and the nuclear continuum.

Emphasizes the integration of structure and reaction studies.

Highlights the role of new facilities and computational advances.

Abstract

The field of nuclear science has considerably advanced since its beginning just over a century ago. Today, the science of rare isotopes is on the cusp of a new era with theoretical and computing advances complementing experimental capabilities at new facilities internationally. In this article we present a vision for the science of rare isotope beams (RIBs). We do not attempt to cover the full breadth of the field, but rather provide a perspective and address a selection of topics that reflect our own interests and expertise. We focus in particular on systems near the drip lines, where one often finds nuclei that are referred to as "exotic," and where the role of the "nuclear continuum" is only just starting to be explored. An important aspect of this article is the attempt to highlight the crucial connections between nuclear structure and nuclear reactions required to fully interpret and leverage the rich data to be collected in the next years at RIB facilities. Further, we connect the efforts in structure and reactions to key questions of nuclear astrophysics.