The role of model systems in the few‐body reduction of the N‐fermion problem

The problem of upper and lower ground state energy bounds for many‐fermion systems is considered from the viewpoint of reduced density matrices. Model density matrices are used for upper bounds to, first uncoupled, then coupled fermions. Model Hamiltonians are developed for lower bounds in corresponding fashion. Both mathematical and physical models are constructed for setting up universally valid inequalities on density matrices. These are joined by both inequalities and equalities in which the explicit form of the system at hand is used. A few illustrative examples are presented.