Integrodifferential equation approach. I. Triton and α-particle binding energies

A single integrodifferential equation in two variables, valid for A nucleons interacting by pure Wigner forces, which has previously only been solved in the extreme and uncoupled adiabatic approximations, is now solved exactly for three- and four-nucleon systems. The results are in good agreement with the values obtained for the binding energies by means of an empirical interpolation formula. This validates all our previous conclusions, in particular that the omission of higher (than two) order correlations in our four-body equation only produces a rather small underbinding. The integrodifferential equation approach is here also extended to spin-dependent forces of the Malfliet-Tjon type, resulting in two coupled integrodifferential equations in two variables. The exact solution and the interpolated adiabatic approximation are again in good agreement. The inclusion of the hypercentral part of the two-body interaction in the definition of the Faddeev-type components again leads to substantial improvement for fully local potentials, acting in all partial waves