Selected advances in nuclear mass predictions based on covariant density functional theory with continuum effects

Abstract Precision measurements and reliable predictions of nuclear masses are pivotal in advancing nuclear physics and astrophysics. In this paper, we review recent progress in constructing a microscopic nuclear mass table based on the deformed relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov theory in continuum (DRHBc) that simultaneously incorporates deformation and continuum effects. We present the predictive power and accuracy of the DRHBc mass table, highlighting its diverse applications and extensions. We then introduce the refinement of nuclear mass predictions from the relativistic continuum Hartree-Bogoliubov theory through the kernel ridge regression (KRR) machine learning approach, examining the physical effects encoded in the KRR corrections and the extrapolation distance with reasonable predictions. Finally, we offer a perspective on future improvements to the DRHBc mass table and the continued advancement of nuclear mass predictions.