Relativistic mean-field theory and nuclear ground-state data

Relativistic models of the nucleus have been studied now since more than ten years, and many aspects have been successfully investigated, as e.g. mean-field approaches, optical potentials, quantum field corrections and two-body correlations. We concentrate in our contribution on the mean-field approach. It is our aim to find a parametrisation for which the results come as close as possible to measured bulk properties of nuclei. Then we look for some predictions of the optimised model, namely for other, more detailed, ground state properties and for nuclear matter parameters. The reason for our undertaking are the following: First, we want to explore the ability of a relativistic mean-field approach and compare it with the best nowadays Skyrme-Hartree-Fock models. Second, we want to work out in detail similarities and differences between a classical and relativistic treatment; this requires an equally reliable parametrisation in both cases. Third, a good parametrisation which describes properly the most dominant observables of nuclear ground states is a reasonable starting point for all further studies of relativistic effects in dynamical observables. (orig./BBOE)