A constraint for saturation binding energy in nuclear matter

Abstract

In Dirac-Brueckner-Hartree-Fock calculations for nuclear matter, the average binding energy per nucleon versus density curve is not uniquely defined if coupling to anti-particles is neglected. The requirement that the nucleon separation energy equal the Fermi energy at saturation density, i.e. Hugenholtz-Van Hove (HV) theorem, places a constraint on the possible curves obtainable. We have developed a new self-consistency scheme for the RBBG theory by applying the HV theorem which guarantees the first law of thermodynamics at the saturation point. Using the Bonn interaction, we show that making the phenomenological choice that the binding energy per nucleon is−15.8MeV leads to momentum-independent self-energies and effective mass, at a density of 1.41 fm −1, consistent with previous calculations.