Numerical calculations for the ground state of a simple triton model

Abstract

Numerical calculations have been performed for the ground state of a triton model, in which the three “nucleons” are identical and spinless. The interaction is assumed to be a sum of two-particle, local, central potentials, for which we have taken various forms. Only completely symmetric trial functions of the product type f( x) f( y) f( z) were used. Calculations were made with functions f( r) constructed in various ways. The trial functions depend on variational parameters, and the total energy is minimized with respect to these parameters. Also the “local energy” Hψ/ ψ is calculated. It is concluded that explicit trial functions can be more easily handled than trial functions constructed in other ways and give results of comparable or even better quality.