We present a fully self-consistent and relativistic calculation of the
nucleon mean free path in nuclear matter and finite nuclei. Starting from the
Bonn potential, the Dirac-Brueckner-Hartree-Fock results for nuclear matter are
parametrized in terms of an effective σ-ω Lagrangian suitable for
the relativistic density-dependent Hartree-Fock (RDHF) approximation. The
nucleon mean free path in nuclear matter is derived from this effective
Lagrangian taking diagrams up to fourth-order into account. For the nucleon
mean free path in finite nuclei, we make use of the density determined by the
RDHF calculation in the local density approximation. Our microscopic results
are in good agreement with the empirical data and predictions by Dirac
phenomenology.Comment: 16 pages RevTex and 6 figures (paper, available upon request from
[email protected]) UI-NTH-931