The nucleon exchange mechanism in composite nuclei interaction

Nucleon exchange density matrices are introduced as a means of reducing the calculations involved in theoretical determinations of integral kernels. The matrices provide analytic expressions for nucleon exchange processes within the resonating group method framework. Nuclear shapes are assumed to be spherical. Mutual polarization of nucleon orbits is not considered. Only interactions leaving the nuclei in their ground states are treated. The method is exact when both nuclei are very light, both are heavy, or one is much heavier than the other. No approximation is achieved with two medium masses.