Time-dependent coupled-cluster approximation to nuclear dynamics. I. Application to a solvable model

Abstract

A general hierarchy of approximations to the many-body Schrödinger equation is presented which reduces to the time-dependent mean-field approximation in lowest order and provides systematic corrections in subsequent orders. The theory is applied to two interacting systems described by the Lipkin model Hamiltonian. Comparison of the results of the lowest two orders of approximation with the exact solution demonstrates the practicality of the method and its potential for generalizing nuclear dynamics beyond the mean field theory.