Nuclear clustering in the Energy Density Functional Approach

Nuclear Energy Density Functionals (EDFs) are a microscopic tool of choice extensively used over the whole chart to successfully describe the properties of atomic nuclei ensuing from their quantum liquid nature. In the last decade, they also have proved their ability to deal with the cluster phenomenon, shedding a new light on its fundamental understanding by treating on an equal footing both quantum liquid and cluster aspects of nuclei. Such a unified microscopic description based on nucleonic degrees of freedom enables to tackle the question pertaining to the origin of the cluster phenomenon and emphasizes intrinsic mechanisms leading to the emergence of clusters in nuclei.