The (m+,e-,e+) system as a positronic atom

The stochastic variational method is used to investigate the stability of the (m(+), e(-), e(+)) system as a function of the m(+)/m(e), mass ratio. The system was found to be stable for 0.697 78 less than or equal to m(+)/m(e) less than or equal to1.6343. These mass limits correspond to stability for energy values of the (m(+), e(-)) subsystem satisfying 0.205 498 less than or equal to E(m(+), e(-)) less than or equal to 0.310196 (energies in Hartree). These energy limits correspond roughly to the ionization potentials of neutral atoms that are known to bind a positron. The (m(+), e(-), e(+)) system can be regarded as an analogue of a typical positronic atom since the structure of the (m(+), e(-), e(+)) system as a function of E(m(+), e(-)) is seen to he reminiscent of the structure of positronic atoms as a function of the parent atom ionization potential