The surface compression of nuclei in relativistic mean-field approach

The surface compression properties of nuclei have been studied in the framework of the relativistic non-linear σ-ω model. Using the Thomas-Fermi approximation for semi-infinite nuclear matter, it is shown that by varying the σ-meson mass one can change the surface compression as relative to the bulk compression. This fact is in contrast with the known properties of the phenomenological Skyrme interactions, where the ratio of the surface to the bulk incompressibility (-KS/KV) is nearly 1 in the scaling mode of compression. The results suggest that the relativistic mean-field model may provide an interaction with the essential ingredients different from those of the Skyrme interactions. (author) 23 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab