Friedel oscillations in relativistic nuclear matter.

Abstract

We calculate the low-momentum $N\ensuremath{-}N$ effective potential obtained in the one-boson exchange approximation, inside a nuclear plasma at finite temperature, as described by the relativistic $\ensuremath{\sigma}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\omega}$ model. We analyze the screening effects on the attractive part of the potential in the intermediate range as density or temperature increases. In the long range the potential shows Friedel-type oscillations instead of the usual exponential damping. These oscillations arise from the sharp edge of the Fermi surface and should be encountered in any realistic model of nuclear matter.