Quantifying Uncertainties In Light-Ion Reactions

Predictive modeling of astrophysical reactions relies on fundamental understanding of the underlying processes. First-principles calculations have made great strides during the past years in bridging the gap from fundamental nucleon-nucleon and three-nucleon interactions derived from chiral effective field theory to the description of nuclear structure and dynamics. In this talk I will outline the basic principles of the no-core shell model with continuum, an ab initio approach aimed at describing the interface between structure and dynamics in nuclei, and discuss ongoing efforts in quantifying the uncertainties arising from chiral effective field theory, how they affect relevant cross sections, and what the cross sections can in turn reveal about the underlying theory.