Asymptotics of Atomic Ionization Energy
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Definitions and mathematical statement
Shared notation.
$\mathbb N$, $\mathbb Z$, $\mathbb Q$, $\mathbb R$, and $\mathbb C$ denote the natural numbers, integers, rationals, reals, and complex numbers, respectively. All additional parameters and hypotheses are specified in the question.Statement recorded in the supplied source.
For the $N$-electron Coulomb ground-state energy $E(N,Z)$, determine the asymptotics of the ionization energy $\delta E(Z)=E(Z-1,Z)-E(Z,Z)$ as $Z\to\infty$.Formulation references: [S1], [S2].
Short English statement
For the $N$-electron Coulomb ground-state energy $E(N,Z)$, determine the asymptotics of the ionization energy $\delta E(Z)=E(Z-1,Z)-E(Z,Z)$ as $Z\to\infty$.Sources
- S1 ULAM.AI and the UnsolvedMath Contributors, UnsolvedMath: A Curated Collection of Open Mathematics Problems, record 7900010 (AMR-078-0010). Catalogue attribution under CC BY 4.0. https://huggingface.co/datasets/ulamai/UnsolvedMath.
- S2 Original problem formulation and mathematical context. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Simon_problems&oldid=1335881350#The_2000_list.
Statement licence: CC-BY-4.0 · Source file
Contributions 1
OpenAI claim summary for Phys-30
The source gives positive universal upper and lower bounds for the first ionization energy. It does not assert convergence or an exact Z→infinity asymptotic for removal of one electron. This entry records partial support; complete coverage of the question is not established by this catalogue.
Asymptotics of Atomic Ionization Energy
OpenAI's claim
OpenAI presents a mathematical result relevant to this question in the selected manuscript. Coulomb molecules are claimed to bind at most $Z+CM$ electrons, and neutral atoms to have universally bounded first ionization energy and half-electron exterior radius.Mathematical statement of the claimed result
Result 1.
For $M$ fixed nuclei at distinct positions $R_j\in\mathbb R^3$, charges $z_j\ge1$, and total $Z=\sum_jz_j$, use the antisymmetric spin-two electron Hamiltonian \[ H_n=\sum_{i=1}^n\left(-\tfrac12\Delta_i-\sum_j\frac{z_j}{|x_i-R_j|}\right) +\sum_{i<j}\frac1{|x_i-x_j|},\qquad E_n=\inf\sigma(H_n),\quad E_0=0. \] The claimed constant $C<\infty$ is universal over charges and positions, and obeys \[ E_n<E_{n-1}\quad\Longrightarrow\quad n\le Z+CM, \qquad n>Z+CM\quad\Longrightarrow\quad E_n=E_{n-1}. \] For a single nucleus the strict-binding bound becomes $n\le Z+C$, including real $Z\ge1$.Outline of the argument
Ground states are compared across particle sectors using common localization and screening fields. Local count bounds, changes of observation law, and estimates in nuclear voids control excess particles; deterministic comparison fields give both sides of the neutral-atom energy and radius bounds.Formal verification
For family 263, the documented entries give the large-$m$ ionization-energy coefficient and the generalized neutral outer-radius asymptotics. Fixed-$m$ limits and the general uniform excess-charge manuscript are not selected. No Comparator is assigned to the selected manuscript here; the family page selects other papers or supporting statements. This site has not executed the Lean code. The scope descriptions do not certify the remaining manuscript arguments.Status caveat
OpenAI attributes these manuscripts to work by an internal model. Its release cautions that arguments without formalization can contain mistakes. This catalogue has not independently checked the proofs; the labels report the mathematical claims attributed to OpenAI.Sources
- OpenAI, Uniform excess charge for Coulomb molecules and the outer radius of neutral atoms, 2026-09-24; citation key
OAI:Uniform-excess-charge-for-Coulomb-molecules-and-the-outer-radius-of-neutral-atoms-September-24-2026. PDF (GitHub); PDF (direct); Manuscript page and citation; Latest version; Statement source: thm:main; Statement source: cor:first-ionization. - Family 263: Lean scope.
- OpenAI catalogue entry.