Towards a general solution to the linear Heisenberg problem

The construction of a complete set of stationary states of the linear Heisenberg system with periodic boundary conditions (rings) has been a topic of intensive research for many decades. Many eminent theoreticians have made their contribution to this joint eort, but we should mention in the rst place the epoch-making work of Bethe 1 and Hulthen. 5 Their work is the basis of many papers on this topic that have appeared during the past 70 years. We do no have the intention to give a complete survey of all this work but we will try to indicate that especially an asymptotic approach starting from the Hypothesis of Strings gives the prospect of a general and complete solution of the Heisenberg chain