The relativistic mean-field description of nuclei and nuclear dynamics

TLDR

The relativistic mean‑field model treats the nucleus as Dirac nucleons interacting via meson mean fields, providing a self‑consistent relativistic description that generalizes the Skyrme‑Hartree‑Fock ansatz while neglecting the Dirac sea. The authors discuss the model’s capabilities and limitations for describing nuclear properties. Recent applications to spherical and deformed nuclei and to nuclear dynamics are presented.

Abstract

The relativistic mean-field model of the nucleus is reviewed. It describes the nucleus as a system of Dirac nucleons which interact in a relativistic covariant manner via meson fields. The meson fields are treated as mean fields, i.e. as non-quantal c-number fields. The effect of the Dirac sea of the nucleons is neglected. The model is interpreted as a phenomenological ansatz providing a self-consistent relativistic description of nuclei and nuclear dynamics. It is viewed, so to say, as the relativistic generalisation of the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock ansatz. The capability and the limitations of the model to describe nuclear properties are discussed. Recent applications to spherical and deformed nuclei and to nuclear dynamics are presented.