Linked-Cluster Expansions for the Nuclear Many-Body Problem

The Goldstone expansion is rederived by elementary time-independent methods, starting from Brillouin-Wigner (BW) perturbation theory. Interaction energy terms $\ensuremath{\Delta}E$ are expanded out of the BW energy denominators, and the series is then rearranged to obtain the linked-cluster result. Similar algebraic methods lead to the linked expansions for the total wave function (Hugenholtz) and the expectation value of a general operator (Thouless). Starting again with a degenerate version of BW perturbation theory, these methods are used to obtain the Bloch-Horowitz energy expansion, as well as the corresponding wave function, expectation-value, and transition-amplitude expansions. A "reduced" form of the Block-Horowitz expansion is described, and also a "completely linked" version. The latter is suggested as a tool for investigating superfiuid phenomena in nuclear matter, and for establishing contact with the Landau theory of Fermi liquids. The physical interpretation of these expansions is carefully studied, especially with regard to nuclear applications, to determine how they handle such "physical" features as antisymmetry, self-energy effects, wave-function renormalizations, and the distinction between "true" and "model" single-particle occupation probabilities. The problem of a correct theoretical definition for the shell-model potential is carefully examined, and a specific theory is presented. These expansions are seen to form a convenient and very powerful set of tools for studying the structure of actual nuclei.