USEFUL BASES FOR PROBLEMS IN NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE PHYSICS

A set of exactly computable orthonormal basis functions that are usefu l in computations involving constituent quarks is presented. These bas is functions are distinguished by the property that they fall off alge braically in momentum space and can be exactly Fourier-Bessel transfor med. The configuration space functions are associated Laguerre polynom ials multiplied by an exponential weight, and their Fourier-Bessel tra nsforms can be expressed in terms of Jacobi polynomials in Lambda(2)(k (2) + Lambda(2)). A Simple model of a meson containing a confined quar k-antiquark pair shows that this basis is much better at describing th e high-momentum properties of the wave function than the harmonic-osci llator basis. (C) 1997 Academic Press.