Abstract
In a previous paper a trial wave function of the form ψ = DIIi<if(xij) was used variationally to calculate the ground-state energy of an interacting electron gas, D being a determinant of plane waves and f(xij) a correlation function. In this work attention is focused on the nature of the wave function; in particular, the correlation function f(xij) and the pair distribution function are calculated and numerical results are presented for two widely different densities. In the course of this work, further light is thrown on the approximations made in the earlier energy calculations. Finally, the use of a wave function of the type ψ = IIi<jf(xij) in the calculation of the ground-state energy of a system of charged bosons is discussed and the exact high-density result of Foldy obtained.