The nuclear surface studied with a momentum-dependent interaction in the Thomas-Fermi and Hartree approximations

Abstract

A self-consistent many-particle model containing a two-body interaction with a quadratic momentum dependence is developed in the Hartree approximation. The various possible algebraic forms of the momentum dependence are studied in parallel. A simple modification of the standard Thomas-Fermi approximation is formulated for the treatment of models with momentum-dependent interactions. Numerical calculations are carried out for symmetric semi-infinite nuclear matter. The modified Thomas-Fermi approximation, as compared with the Hartree approximation, is found to underestimate the surface diffuseness and the surface energy by typically 10%. It is demonstrated that the surface properties are very sensitive to the particular algebraic form of the quadratic momentum dependence.