Time-dependent few-body approaches to nuclear collisions

Department of Nuclear Physics and Accelerator Applications, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.

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Published online: 13 May 2026

Abstract

Coupled-channels models for non-relativistic nuclear collisions face challenges in consistently describing fusion cross-sections across a wide range of energies. This work develops the foundations for alternative approaches to fusion using time-dependent few-body methods. We present a robust, numerically convenient time-dependent method for determining the S -matrix via the wave packet time-correlation function, accounting for the long-range Coulomb potential. We briefly review time-dependent scattering theory and the action of Dollard's Coulomb M0ller wave operators. We apply the theory to low-energy α + α scattering, and preliminary results show excellent agreement with FRESCO. We highlight the potential of the method to resolve contributions to scattering from different mechanisms, such as resonances.