The microscopic description of the nuclear equation of state

A review is presented on the status of microscopic calculations of the nuclear equation of state derived from realistic nucleon-nucleon interactions. The importance of correlations is demonstrated and the influence of relativistic features on the determination of the saturation properties of nuclear systems are discussed. Special attention is paid to the differences in the behavior of infinite nuclear matter, which may be observed in studies of astrophysical objects, and finite nuclei, which are the object of heavy ion reactions. (author)