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Open research questions in Nuclear physics research studies

214 gap statements mined from Nuclear physics research studies papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 2,933 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

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What the literature leaves open

  • The precise location and structural properties of stability islands remain uncertain due to limitations in modeling shell effects and deformation in extreme nuclear systems. The study does not replace existing nuclear models, but rather provides a complementary perspective.

    Nuclear decay networks reveal stability patterns in superheavy nuclei · 2026 · DOI

  • Most phenomenological optical potentials are chosen to be local, but the many-body theory of optical potentials states that they should be nonlocal. There is a need for a method that can handle nonlocal optical potentials. The existing methods have limitations in handling nonlocal optical potentials.

    Nonlocal Scattering Problem in Harmonic-Oscillator-Based R-matrix Approach · 2026 · DOI

  • In IBF-LNGS, we performed a long measurement campaign to improve the state of the art, which is currently limited by the energy definition of the Ecm = 706 keV resonance and the lack of cross section data at lower energies, where only upper limits are available.

    22Ne(α,n)25Mg at the INFN Bellotti Ion Beam Facility · 2026 · DOI

  • The microscopic derivation of the compound nucleus based on the many-body Schrödinger equation is still lacking. Prior work has not convincingly introduced a microscopic derivation of the compound nucleus.

    Multi-nucleon transfer reactions and the emergence and the evolution of the compound nucleus · 2026 · DOI

  • By means of a pioneering three-body model analysis of entanglement dynamics in the two-proton decay of 6Be and 12O, this work addresses a fundamental gap in understanding quantum correlations in nuclear systems.

    Entanglement dynamics in two-proton decay of 12O and 6Be · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper suggests future research directions in the study of chronal dynamics and its applications. The paper suggests further study of the synchronization of chronal rhythms.

    PHASE NUCLEAR PHYSICS From the proton-proton cycle to the "island of stability" within the framework of chronal dynamics · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a need for a new framework for studying phase nuclear physics.

    PHASE NUCLEAR PHYSICS From the proton-proton cycle to the "island of stability" within the framework of chronal dynamics · 2026 · DOI

  • Its generalization to higher densities, relevant for NS interiors, relies on assumptions that remain to be critically examined. In particular, the physical basis for the assumed DM distribution and interactions in two-fluid RMF models is largely phenomenological, and the detailed mechanism by which DM is captured and accumulates inside NSs is still an open question.

    Nucleon short-range correlations and high-momentum dynamics: implications on the equation of state of dense matter · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies can be done to improve the analysis of critical raw materials. The FaNGaS instrument can be used to study other nuclear reactions. New techniques can be developed to investigate the interaction of fission neutrons with nuclei.

    Prompt gamma rays from the inelastic scattering of fission neutrons on samarium and dysprosium · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need for more data on the interaction of fission neutrons with nuclei. The study aims to contribute to the expansion and improvement of databases related to the interaction of fission neutrons with nuclei.

    Prompt gamma rays from the inelastic scattering of fission neutrons on samarium and dysprosium · 2026 · DOI

  • The relativistic effects on the hydrogen-like atom in a finite magnetic field have not been fully investigated. The implications for the core region of heavy elements are not well understood.

    The relativistic hydrogen-like atom in a finite magnetic field · 2026 · DOI

  • The need to integrate uncertainty in predictions of nuclear masses.

    A flexible Bayesian framework for atomic masses by locally inferring configuration mixing · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of a probabilistic nuclear mass model that can predict nuclear masses with high accuracy. The need for a model that can provide insight into evolving shell structure in neutron- and proton-rich regions.

    A flexible Bayesian framework for atomic masses by locally inferring configuration mixing · 2026 · DOI

  • The existing empirical relations have limitations in predicting α-decay energies and half-lives. There is a need for a more accurate and reliable method for predicting α-decay energies and half-lives.

    Machine learning-driven high-precision model for α -decay energy and half-life prediction of superheavy nuclei · 2026 · DOI

  • It should be emphasized that excited 0+ states are bandheads of unfavored configurations and are key for understanding the competition between shell gaps and many-body correlations. However, for many nuclei within the IOI, such as 30, 32Ne, 34,36,38Mg, the locations of the 0+ 2 states remain unknown.

    Exploring the migration of magic numbers in neutron-rich systems via knockout reactions · 2026 · DOI

  • The study of superheavy nuclei is an important subject in nuclear physics, but the thermodynamic characteristics of these nuclei are not well understood. The prediction of the most stable isotopes of Z = 120 is an open question.

    Role of thermodynamic temperature in predicting the most feasible isotopes of $$Z=120$$ and their limiting temperature · 2026 · DOI

  • The need for a detailed understanding of the structural evolution of the Nb isotopes. The lack of a comprehensive study of shape coexistence and quantum phase transitions in the Nb isotopes.

    Nuclear shapes of Nb isotopes · 2026 · DOI

  • We were able to utilize physics-informed networks to tackle realistic models of the nucleon-nucleon interaction in momentum space, even with strong high-momentum correlations, and to obtain highly accurate results on the deuteron benchmarks. We also performed a similar simulation with a simplified interaction to prove the feasibility in coordinate space.

    Addressing the ground state of the deuteron by physics-informed neural networks · 2026 · DOI

  • The study only considers a limited range of astrophysical conditions. The finite-temperature β-decay rates are only calculated for nuclei with proton numbers 20 ≤ Z ≤ 60.

    Effect of Finite-temperature β -decay Rates on the Rapid Neutron Capture Process · 2026 · DOI

  • The calculations were performed with fixed heating efficiency parameters, but the actual heating efficiency in real astrophysical r-process events (neutron star mergers, core-collapse supernovae) remains observationally unconstrained.

    Effect of Finite-temperature β -decay Rates on the Rapid Neutron Capture Process · 2026 · DOI

  • The limited sensitivity of elastic scattering data without polarization observables. The difficulty in describing the absorption mechanisms varying the role of surface and volume components in the imaginary potential.

    Optical model for deuteron-induced elastic scattering on light nuclei from 3He to 16O · 2026 · DOI

  • The limited sensitivity of elastic scattering data without polarization observables.

    Optical model for deuteron-induced elastic scattering on light nuclei from 3He to 16O · 2026 · DOI

  • Further theoretical and experimental investigation of regions identified by the network framework as having high stability. Application of the network framework to other domains in nuclear physics. Investigation of the relationship between network topology and nuclear stability in other regions of the nuclear chart.

    Nuclear decay networks reveal stability patterns in superheavy nuclei · 2026 · DOI

  • Based on those considerations, we selected a small number of EoSs differing in the chiral order and/or the adiabatic index of their polytropic portion, followed by a parametrization of the pressure vs. density that guarantees causality.

    Tidal Deformability in Neutron Stars from an Ab Initio Point of View · 2026 · DOI

  • Combining scattering calculations with various few- and many-body structure methods that use harmonic oscillator expansions. Using the method in reaction calculations within distorted-wave models.

    Nonlocal Scattering Problem in Harmonic-Oscillator-Based R-matrix Approach · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Nuclear physics research studies

Most recent work

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) There is a need for a method that can handle nonlocal optical potentials (“Nonlocal Scattering Problem in Harmonic-Oscillator-Based R-matrix Approach”, 2026); (2) The microscopic derivation of the compound nucleus based on the many-body Schrödinger equation is still lacking (“Multi-nucleon transfer reactions and the emergence and the evolution of the…”, 2026); (3) Its generalization to higher densities, relevant for NS interiors, relies on assumptions that remain to be critically examined (“Nucleon short-range correlations and high-momentum dynamics: implications on…”, 2026); (4) There is a need for more data on the interaction of fission neutrons with nuclei (“Prompt gamma rays from the inelastic scattering of fission neutrons on samarium…”, 2026); (5) The relativistic effects on the hydrogen-like atom in a finite magnetic field have not been fully investigated (“The relativistic hydrogen-like atom in a finite magnetic field”, 2026). 214 gap statements have been mined from Nuclear physics research studies papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 2,933 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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