  The main characteristics of the ground and, in particular, the first excited
monopole state in the $^{4}$He, $^{16}$O and $^{40}$Ca nuclei are studied
within the generator coordinate method using Skyrme-type effective forces and
three construction potentials, namely the harmonic-oscillator, the square-well
and Woods-Saxon potentials. Calculations of density distributions, radii,
nucleon momentum distributions, natural orbitals, occupation numbers and
depletions of the Fermi sea, as well as of pair density and momentum
distributions are carried out. A comparison of these quantities for both ground
and first excited monopole states with the available empirical data and with
the results of other theoretical methods are given and discussed in detail.

Nuclear Theory