Comment on: "Solving many-body Schr\"odinger equations with kinetic energy partition method'', Ann. Phys. 388 (2018) 54-68 by Y-H. Chen and S. D. Chao

TL;DR

This paper critiques the kinetic energy partition method by testing it on simple models and questioning the accuracy of previous benchmark comparisons, highlighting potential limitations in the method.

Contribution

It provides a critical analysis of the kinetic energy partition method's performance using specific quantum models and challenges prior benchmark results.

Findings

Benchmark model is too simple for testing methods

Discrepancies found in eigenvalues cast doubt on KEP accuracy

Most approaches perform better than KEP on tested models

Abstract

We discuss a recent test of the performance of the kinetic energy partition method (KEP) through its application to two separable quantum-mechanical models. We argue that one of the benchmark models is exceedingly simple for testing any realistic approximate method and that almost any reasonable approach yields better results. In the second example our exact benchmark eigenvalues disagree considerably with those chosen by the authors for comparison, which casts doubts on the accuracy of their KEP approach.