The percentage D state and the quadrupole moment of the deuteron

Abstract

Rigorous lower bounds to the percentage D state of the deuteron which improve Klarsfeld's (1974) previous estimates, are derived, assuming that the deuteron wavefunction is known outside different interaction radii. The sensitivity of the quadrupole moment (Q_D) to the deuteron wavefunction in the interior region is investigated by means of various finite-range unitary transformations and rigorous upper bounds are then obtained on the variation in Q_D for arbitrary but finite-range transformations. Finally, it is shown that the experimental value of Q_D, which is difficult if not impossible to fit with energy-independent interactions in the impulse approximation can be fitted if the pair current contribution to Q_D is included. However an improved estimate of the minimum P_D is not obtained in this way.