Abstract: | In the framework of the homogeneous electron gas theory we give a model function Gc of the Coulomb hole that can be considered as an approximate universal correlation function for many-electron systems. The function Gc reflects the right asymptotic behavior of the correlation function of an electron gas in high and low density limits and enables one to reproduce experimental correlation energies of a number of atoms of the first and second periods in a local density approximation with the relative error 0.3–4.2%. The estimate of contributions of electrons with parallel or antiparallel spins into correlation energy shows that in the domain of densities typical for atoms of the first and second periods, the Coulomb correlation of electrons with parallel spins is in high extent suppressed by the Fermi correlation. |