THE PROBLEM OF THE MEAN FREE PATH OF BOUND NUCLEONS: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE NUCLEAR FORCE

Abstract

The mean-free-path (MFP) of bound nucleons is one of the classic problems in nuclear structure theory. Although it has often been asserted that the MFP is “long”, theoretical estimates and empirical evidence consistently show that the MFP of low-energy nucleons is less than two nucleao diameters (2–3 fm) and far shorter than the several nuclear diameters (>30 fm) needed to establish nucleons in intra-nuclear orbits. Such results indicate that the nucleon states known from nuclear spectroscopy must be explained by a version of the independent-particle model which does not require the free orbiting of nucleons within nuclei.