Relativistic nuclear energy density functionals

Abstract

Relativistic energy density functionals (REDF) provide a complete and accurate, global description of nuclear structure phenomena. Semi-empirical functionals, adjusted to the nuclear matter equation of state and to bulk properties of finite nuclei, are applied to studies of arbitrarily heavy nuclei, exotic nuclei far from stability, and even systems at the nucleon drip-lines. REDF-based structure models are being developed that go beyond the mean-field approximation, and include collective correlations related to restoration of broken symmetries and to fluctuations of collective variables.