A Thomas-Fermi theory for Λ-hypernuclei

A variational Thomas-Fermi theory for Λ-hypernuclei to calculate the Λ-single particle energies and core distortion effects induced by the Λ in a hypernucleus is presented. As input the framework uses nuclear binding energies (or masses) and Λ-nuclear interaction. The present study puts stringent constrains on the interaction parameters and in addition precisely determines the poorly known space exchange parameter ε of the ΛN interaction and also sheds new light on the three body ΛNN interaction. The Λ-single particle energies are obtained from a Schroedinger equation with a Λ-nucleus potential and an effective mass obtained using Fermi Hypernetted Chain method and local density approximation. The hypernuclei studied range from λ13C to λ239Th including all those hypernuclei for which the Λ-single particle data from (π+, K+) and (K-, π-) reactions are available. (author). 14 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab