Momentum, Density, and Isospin dependence of the Symmetric and Asymmetric Nuclear Matter Properties

Properties of symmetric and asymmetric nuclear matter have been investigated in the relativistic Dirac-Brueckner-Hartree-Fock approach based on projection techniques using the Bonn A potential. The momentum, density, and isospin dependence of the optical potentials and nucleon effective masses are studied. It turns out that the isovector optical potential depends sensitively on density and momentum, but is almost insensitive to the isospin asymmetry. Furthermore, the Dirac mass $m^*_D$ and the nonrelativistic mass $m^*_{NR}$ which parametrizes the energy dependence of the single particle spectrum, are both determined from relativistic Dirac-Brueckner-Hartree-Fock calculations. The nonrelativistic mass shows a characteristic peak structure at momenta slightly above the Fermi momentum \kf. The relativistic Dirac mass shows a proton-neutron mass splitting of $m^*_{D,n} <m^*_{D,p}$ in isospin asymmetric nuclear matter. However, the nonrelativistic mass has a reversed mass splitting $m^*_{NR,n} >m^*_{NR,p}$ which is in agreement with the results from nonrelativistic calculations.Comment: 25 pages, 12 figures, to appear in Physical Review

Spinodal Instabilities in Asymmetric Nuclear Matter Based on Realistic NNNN Interactions

A density dependent relativistic mean-field model is determined to reproduce the components of the nucleon self-energy at low densities. This model is used to investigate spinodal instabilities in isospin asymmetric nuclear matter at finite temperatures. The inhomogeneous density distributions in the spinodal region are investigated through calculations in a cubic Wigner-Seitz cell. Compared to results obtained in phenomenological calculations the spinodal region is large, i.e. the spinodal region at zero temperature can reach densities above 0.12 fm$^{-3}$. The predicted spinodal region is concentrated around isospin symmetric nuclear matter and the critical temperature is considerably lower than in the previous microscopic based investigation within a non-relativistic Brueckner-Hartree-Fock approach.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure

Dirac-Brueckner-Hartree-Fock calculations for isospin asymmetric nuclear matter based on improved approximation schemes

We present Dirac-Brueckner-Hartree-Fock calculations for isospin asymmetric nuclear matter which are based on improved approximations schemes. The potential matrix elements have been adapted for isospin asymmetric nuclear matter in order to account for the proton-neutron mass splitting in a more consistent way. The proton properties are particularly sensitive to this adaption and its consequences, whereas the neutron properties remains almost unaffected in neutron rich matter. Although at present full Brueckner calculations are still too complex to apply to finite nuclei, these relativistic Brueckner results can be used as a guidance to construct a density dependent relativistic mean field theory, which can be applied to finite nuclei. It is found that an accurate reproduction of the Dirac-Brueckner-Hartree-Fock equation of state requires a renormalization of these coupling functions.Comment: 34 pages, 9 figures, submitted to Eur. Phys. J.

Model independent study of the Dirac structure of the nucleon-nucleon interaction

Relativistic and non-relativistic modern nucleon-nucleon potentials are mapped on a relativistic operator basis using projection techniques. This allows to compare the various potentials at the level of covariant amplitudes were a remarkable agreement is found. In nuclear matter large scalar and vector mean fields of several hundred MeV magnitude are generated at tree level. This is found to be a model independent feature of the nucleon-nucleon interaction.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, results for V_lowk added, to appear in PR

Bulk Viscosity in Neutron Stars from Hyperons

The contribution from hyperons to the bulk viscosity of neutron star matter is calculated. Compared to previous works we use for the weak interaction the one-pion exchange model rather than a current-current interaction, and include the neutral current $nn \leftrightarrow n\Lambda$ process. Also the sensitivity to details of the equation of state is examined. Compared to previous works we find that the contribution from hyperons to the bulk viscosity is about two orders of magnitude smaller.Comment: 18 pages, to appear in Physical Review