Meson Theoretical Origins of the Non-Static Two Nucleon Potential

Author: Platzman, Philip Moss

Year: 1960

Degree: Dissertation (Ph.D.)

Advisor: Gell-Mann, Murray

Committee Member: Unknown, Unknown

Option: Physics

DOI: 10.7907/FGWX-XQ69

Abstract

We discuss the origins, in meson theory, of a nuclear potential which will adequately describe the interactions of nucleons up to energies of approximately 150 Mev. Our Hamiltonian is obtained from a non-relativistic reduction of the relativistic pseudo-scalar theory. The coefficients of all terms in the Hamiltonian are treated as parameters whose values are determined from experiment. In computing the actual potential we follow precisely the philosophy of Breuckner and Watson and Gartenhaus. The resulting potential is an expansion in powers of the coupling constant and the ratio of the velocity of the nucleons to that of light. Only the second and fourth order terms in the coupling constant and the zeroth and first order term in (v/c) nucleon will be retained. All pieces of the potential are evaluated numerically with a smooth momentum space cutoff. We also consider a modified type of relativistic theory where pair terms are supressed. A crude comparison is made with experiment. It is found that the potential is in qualitative agreement with the experimental data on nucleon-nucleon scattering, the splitting of the levels in He5, and the observed magnetic moment of the deuteron.

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