PROTON MOMENTUM DISTRIBUTION IN NUCLEI BEYOND HE-4

Proton momentum distributions of the C-12, O-16, Ca-40, Fe-56, and Pb- 208 nuclei are calculated by a model using the natural orbital represe ntation and the experimental data for the momentum distribution of the He-4 nucleus. The model allows realistic momentum distributions to be obtained using only hole-state natural orbitals (or mean-field single -particle wave functions as a good approximation to them). To demonstr ate the model two different sets of wave functions were employed and t he predictions were compared with the available empirical data and oth er theoretical results.