Nuclear Saturation as a Relativistic Effect

Abstract

Calculations made with use of a new relativistic theory of nuclear matter which allows for negative-energy components in the nucleon wave function introduce a major modification in the saturation curve for nuclear matter. For example, a boson-exchange potential which saturates at over twice the empirical density and yields a binding energy of about 23 MeV per particle is brought into general agreement with the empirical data when relativistic effects are included. This analysis indicates that nuclear matter should be treated as a relativistic system.