An accurate nucleon-nucleon potential with charge-independence breaking

Abstract

We present a new high-quality nucleon-nucleon potential with explicit charge dependence and charge asymmetry, which we designate Argonne \(v_{18}\). The model has a charge-independent part with fourteen operator components that is an updated version of the Argonne \(v_{14}\) potential. Three additional charge-dependent and one charge-asymmetric operators are added, along with a complete electromagnetic interaction. The potential has been fit directly to the Nijmegen \(pp\) and \(np\) scattering data base, low-energy \(nn\) scattering parameters, and deuteron binding energy. With 40 adjustable parameters it gives a \(\chi^{2}\) per datum of 1.09 for 4301 \(pp\) and \(np\) data in the range 0--350 MeV.