Single-Body Wave Functions and Two-Body Forces

Abstract

It is found that some of the eigenfunctions of a nuclear Hamiltonian containing Hooke's-law interactions of nucleons can be expressed as independent-particle states. In these states it is more satisfactory to define the nucleons' positions with respect to the centers of mass of the protons and of the neutrons, rather than with respect to a fixed origin. There is some reason to believe that all nuclear bound states can be approximated by means of perturbations from such independent-particle states.