Abstract: | An expression for the evaluation of electron–electron coalescence density as a functional of the density for any electron system is proposed. The formula, clarifies previously advanced upper bounds for this quantity and provides a method to independently estimate the system‐averaged on‐top exchange–correlation hole. The relationship with the on‐top pair density shows that producing the true electron–electron coalescense should be considered as a leading physical requirement for trial wave functions in any energy minimization scheme. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2001 |