The electron momentum distribution for molecular hydrogen is calculated from an explicitly correlated Gaussian wave function corresponding to the total energy of - 1.17442 a.u. and accounting for 99.9% of the correlation energy. The high-accuracy Compton profile obtained confirms the results of recent high-energy electron-impact spectroscopy measurements of Lee, but disagrees in the region of very small momentum with earlier x-ray Compton-scattering data.

• Received 9 December 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.19.2360