Binding energies and energy differences for \(p\)-shell nuclei from \textit{ab initio} calculations with natural orbitals*

\textit{Ab initio} methods in nuclear theory strive to make quantitative predictions of nuclear observables, starting with the internucleon interaction. In the no-core configuration interaction (NCCI) approach, the nuclear many-body problem is solved in a basis of Slater determinants constructed from single-particle states. NCCI calculations are computationally limited by combinatorial explosion of the many-body basis size; as such, choice of basis greatly influences convergence. Natural orbitals, constructed by diagonalizing the one-body density matrix from an initial many-body calculation, maximize occupation of the lowest single-particle states and thereby reduce the importance of higher-lying many-body basis states. We use natural orbitals to explore energies and energy differences in \(p\)-shell nuclei.