https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2014-14020-3
Regular Article - Theoretical Physics
Symmetry energy in nuclear density functional theory
1
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee Knoxville, 37996, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
2
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, 37831, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
3
Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, ul. Hoża 69, 00-681, Warsaw, Poland
4
Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Erlangen/Nürnberg, Staudtstr. 7, D-90158, Erlangen, Germany
5
Physics Department, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
* e-mail: witek@utk.edu
Received:
22
July
2013
Revised:
22
August
2013
Accepted:
28
August
2013
Published online:
25
February
2014
The nuclear symmetry energy represents a response to the neutron-proton asymmetry. In this paper we discuss various aspects of symmetry energy in the framework of nuclear density functional theory, considering both non-relativistic and relativistic self-consistent mean-field realizations side by side. Key observables pertaining to bulk nucleonic matter and finite nuclei are reviewed. Constraints on the symmetry energy and correlations between observables and symmetry energy parameters, using statistical covariance analysis, are investigated. Perspectives for future work are outlined in the context of ongoing experimental efforts.
© SIF, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2014
