Triton Binding Energy and Minimal Relativity

Abstract

For relativistic three-body calculations, essentially two different approaches are in use: field theory and relativistic direct interactions. Results for relativistic corrections of the triton binding energy obtained from the two approaches differ even in their sign, which is rather puzzling. In this paper, we discuss the origin of such discrepancy. We show that the use of an invariant two-body amplitude, as done in the field-theoretic approach, increases the triton binding energy by about 0.30 MeV. This may explain a large part of the discrepancy.