Studies in the method of correlated basis functions. (I). A general survey

The method of correlated basis functions provides a framework for quantitative treatments of infinitely extended nuclear matter, finite nuclei and the helium liquids. The essential formal apparatus of this approach is surveyed. A perturbation theory is described which provides a means of systematic solution of the matrix eigenvalue problem in a non-orthogonal correlated basis. General cluster-expansion algorithms are offered for evaluation of the required matrix elements in the correlated representation. Specific applications to infinite nuclear matter with non-central interactions and to the odd-parity levels of the ¹⁶O nucleus are presented.