RELATIVISTIC EFFECTS IN THE 3-NUCLEON PROBLEM

Calculations of the triton binding energy with the relativistic specta tor or Gross equation are reported. The three-body equations and the b asic ideas behind the approach are presented. Numerical results were o btained for a family of realistic one-boson exchange models with off-s hell scalar couplings. They represent the first three-nucleon binding energies calculated with the full Dirac structure of the nucleons. It is shown that the off-shell couplings improve both the fits to the two -body data and the predictions for the binding energy. Boost effects a nd connections to three-nucleon forces are discussed.