On the three-body problem

Abstract

AbstractWe consider the ground state of a system of three interacting particles of equal mass. An integro-differential equation is obtained for the optimum pair function f in the product wavefunction Ψ(123) = f(12)f(13)f(23). The solution for harmonic forces reproduces the known exact ground state. Approximate analytic solutions are obtained for inverse-square forces, and for a general force law in the semiclassical limit.