Nucleon mean-free path in the medium

Abstract

A microscopic determination of the mean-free path of a nucleon in symmetric nuclear matter is presented. Calculations are based on self-consistent Green’s functions theory within the ladder approximation and use dierent realistic nucleon-nucleon potentials supplemented by semi-phenomenological three-body forces. Temperature and density dependence are discussed. At zero temperature and nuclear saturation density we find that, for energies above 50 MeV, a nucleon has a mean-free path of 4 to 5 fermi.