Relativistic investigation of nuclear surface properties.

Abstract

Calculations for semi-infinite nuclear matter within the relativistic Hartree approximation have been performed utilizing the nonlinear \ensuremath{\sigma}-\ensuremath{\omega} model. We investigate the structure of the nuclear surface, i.e., the surface energy and the surface thickness, in its dependence on the properties of uniform nuclear matter in a systematic manner. We establish criterions for the selection of a relativistic mean-field parametrization following from the experimentally well determined, nuclear surface properties. In this respect, we discuss some currently used parameter sets. In addition, the accuracy of the semiclassical Thomas-Fermi approximation compared with the fully quantal approach is investigated. We close with some studies on density distributions (skewness parameter, Friedel oscillations, and the influence of the spin-orbit potential) and the nuclear curvature energy.