The methods of quantum statistics previously developed by the author are applied to the determination of properties of the ground state of nuclear matter. An expansion in powers of the pair-function of quantum statistics is made and expressions are derived for the momentum distribution, pair-correlation function, binding energy, and effective single-particle energies. The leading terms of these expressions can be interpreted in terms of an effective two-body interaction, and a model of nuclear matter which consists of interacting quasi-particles whose energies are the effective single-particle energies is thereby suggested. The theory is compared with Brueckner's theory and also with Landau's phenomenological theory of the Fermi liquid.

• Received 12 April 1961

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.124.583