Relativistic Correction to the Magnetic Moment of the Deuteron

Abstract

The corrections referred to in the title are considered for a proton and neutron moving in each other's field. Two alternative equations are used as starting points for the calculations. One of these is an extension of the electrodynamic laws of interaction between charged particles. The other is typical of Hamiltonians giving rise to inverted (Thomas term like) vector spin orbit doublets and is an extension of the scalar field one-body equation. The calculations reported here show about the same degree of sensitivity of the relativistic correction of the deuteron's moment to the type of interaction assumed between particles as has been previously obtained in simplified considerations with a single particle model. It is concluded, therefore, that one cannot be sure of estimates of relativistic corrections to approximately their whole magnitude and that even the sign of the correction cannot be considered as certain. Considerations regarding additivity of nuclear moments involving an accuracy of much better than 0.01 nuclear Bohr magneton appear to be obscured not only by the presence of relativistic corrections but also by the remoteness of sufficient knowledge concerning the interactions between particles which is essential for the determination of the effects of relativity.