Microscopic Clustering in Light Nuclei

Abstract

We review recent experimental and theoretical progress in understanding the microscopic details of clustering in light nuclei. We discuss recent experimental results on $α$-conjugate systems, molecular structures in neutron-rich nuclei, and constraints for ab initio theory. We then examine nuclear clustering in a wide range of theoretical methods, including the resonating group and generator coordinate methods, antisymmetrized molecular dynamics, Tohsaki-Horiuchi-Schuck-Röpke wave function and container model, no-core shell model methods, continuum quantum Monte Carlo, and lattice effective field theory.

Accepted for publication in Review of Modern Physics, 50 pages, 28 figures, minor change to title