Nuclear Matter Calculations with Soft-Core Potentials in Momentum Space. I

The reaction matrix equation of the Brueckner theory is solved self-consistently in momentum space for S-state interactions with a soft core. The calculated binding energy ranges from 9.8 MeV at the equilibrium spacing of 1.03 fm**) to 12.1 MeV at 0.88 fm as the soft core strength is varied. An exact treatment of off-energy-shell propagation proposed by Brueckner and Gammel is found to reduce the binding energy by less than 0.2 MeV as far as the S states are concerned.