The tensor interaction and nuclear matter

Abstract

The separation method of Moszkowski-Scott has been applied to the calculation of the properties of nuclear matter using two different nucleon-nucleon potentials, both in reasonable agreement with two-body data. Calculations with the potential of Brueckner-Gammel gave A E = −14.2 Mev at an equilibrium densitty corresponding to k f = 1.5 f −1. The difference from the results of B and G may be caused by slow convergence of the series (especially in the triplet-even state where the tensor interaction has a large second order contribution). An important factor in obtaining nuclear saturation is shown to be the weakening of tensor interaction effects by the Fermi sea. Evidence for this may also be seen from the results obtained using a different two nucleon potential which, however, still gives good fits to two body data. The potential chosen has a much weaker tensor component and shows no sign of saturation at normal densities (at k f = 1.5 f −1, A E = −23.4 Mev ). The difference in the two results appears to be much larger than can be accounted for either by higher order terms or by differences in the phase shift approximation to the reaction matrix.