The shell model Monte Carlo approach to level densities: recent developments and perspectives

We review recent advances in the shell model Monte Carlo approach for the microscopic calculation of statistical and collective properties of nuclei. We discuss applications to the calculation of (i) level densities in nickel isotopes, implementing a recent method to circumvent the odd-particle sign problem; (ii) state densities in heavy nuclei; (iii) spin distributions of nuclear levels; and (iv) finite-temperature quadrupole distributions.