A relativistic symmetry in nuclei

Abstract

We review some of the empirical and theoretical evidence supporting pseudospin symmetry in nuclei as a relativistic symmetry. We review the case that the eigenfunctions of realistic relativistic nuclear mean fields approximately conserve pseudospin symmetry in nuclei. We discuss the implications of pseudospin symmetry for magnetic dipole transitions and Gamow-Teller transitions between states in pseudospin doublets. We explore a more fundamental rationale for pseudospin symmetry in terms of quantum chromodynamics (QCD), the basic theory of the strong interactions. We show that pseudospin symmetry in nuclei implies spin symmetry for an anti-nucleon in a nuclear environment. We also discuss the future and what role pseudospin symmetry may be expected to play in an effective field theory of nucleons.