Correlation Energy of an Electron Gas at High Density

The quantity ₂ is defined as the correlation energy per particle of an electron gas expressed in rydbergs. It is a function of the conventional dimensionless parameter rₒ, where {rₒ}^-3 is proportional to the electron density. Here ₂ is computed for small values of rₒ (high density) and found to be given by ₂=Alnrₒ+C+O (rₒ). The value of A is found to be 0. 0622, a result that could be deduced from previous work of Wigner, Macke, and Pines. An exact formula for the constant C is given here for the first time; earlier workers had made only approximate calculations of C. Further, it is shown how the next correction in rₒ can be computed. The method is based on summing the most highly divergent terms of the perturbation series under the integral sign to give a convergent result. The summation is performed by a technique similar to Feynman's methods in field theory.