Proton momentum distribution in nuclei beyond Helium-4

Proton momentum distributions of the $^{12}C$, $^{16}O$, $^{40}Ca$, $^{56}Fe$ and $^{208}$Pb nuclei are calculated by a model using the natural orbital representation and the experimental data for the momentum distribution of the $^{4}He$ 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.