Proton momentum distribution in nuclei beyond 4He.

Proton momentum distributions of the {sup 12}C, {sup 16}O, {sup 40}Ca, {sup 56}Fe, and {sup 208}Pb nuclei are calculated by a model using the natural orbital representation and the experimental data for the momentum distribution of the {sup 4}He 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 demonstrate the model two different sets of wave functions were employed and the predictions were compared with the available empirical data and other theoretical results.