A formula for the charge form factor of closed-shell nuclei and its application to 16O

An expression for the charge form factor of light closed-shell nuclei previously derived in the framework of the non-unitary model operator approach is simplified by considering normalised correlated wavefunctions of the relative motion that are suitably parametrised. The expression is applied to the 16O nucleus and the correlation parameters (which are taken to be state dependent) together with the harmonic oscillator parameter are determined by fitting to experimental values of the charge form factor of 16O. The diffraction minima are well reproduced. (author)