Quantum Nucleodynamics

The core ideas underlying a quantitative, bottom-up theory of nuclear structure, i.e., quantum nucleodynamics, are introduced. The replacement of the fictitious "mean-field" approximation of the nuclear force with the empirically-known nuclear potential-well is the essential first step. From there, calculation of short-range nucleon-nucleon effects can be achieved on the basis of a unique lattice representation of nuclear quantum space, as introduced by Wigner in 1937. The lattice reproduces all of the n-shells and j- and m-subshells of the well-established independent-particle model on a geometrical basis, and represents a return to a comprehensible, coordinate-space depiction of the atomic nucleus. Multiple regression results for the binding energies of 273 stable isotopes using 1st-3rd neighbor interactions in the lattice are presented as "in principle" demonstration of the utility of the nuclear lattice. Noteworthy is the fact that all near-neighbor nuclear binding effects fall between -1.2 and 3.0 MeV.