Asymmetric nuclear matter in the relativistic approach

Bulk properties of asymmetric nuclear matter are studied in the Dirac-Hartree-Fock approximation. The model includes isoscalar (σ,ω) and isovector (π,ρ) mesons. The variations of binding energy, equilibrium density and compression modulus with increasing neutron excess are discussed and compared with predictions of non-relativistic Hartree-Fock calculations. The dependence of nucleon self-energies, effective masses and single-particle spectra on the neutron excess is also examined. (orig.)