Nuclear matter binding energy and the two-nucleon potential

Abstract

The Moszkowski-Scott approximation to the Brueckner theory is used to compare the nuclear matter binding energy predictions of two different two-nucleon potential models. Although the Hamada-Johnston potential has been found to be a much better fit to the two-nucleon data than is the Brueckner-Gammel-Thaler potential, the latter is found to be in much better agreement with the semi-empirical value of the nuclear matter binding energy. The discrepancy is found to be attributable mostly to the singlet odd potential, which has been only poorly defined by the available two nucleon data.