Real-time evolution of Gaussian wave packets: its application to the nuclear cluster problems

The time-dependent cluster model, which describes nucleons in terms of Gauss wave packets and determines their time evolution, was used to simulate heavy-ion reactions and later developed into wave packet theories of nuclei such as Fermionic Molecular Dynamics (FMD) and antisymmetrized Molecular Dynamics (AMD). While the time evolution of these models is not exact because the wave functions are restricted to Gauss functions, it is known that the ensemble of wave functions generated by the time evolution has desirable quantum properties. Accordingly, we have developed a new approach to nuclear structure and reactions by utilizing the properties of this ensemble. In this presentation, I will introduce the model and demonstrate some applications to the alpha cluster states and astropysical nuclear reactions.